Bloodline
by Orioncat
Summary: A mysterious woman shows up in L.A. An old friend Josef's, but the key to Mick's destiny. What is this woman's significance? And why is an ancient society hunting her? How can Mick, Beth, and Josef help? Beth&Mick Josef&OC Promised fluff for Mick
1. Introductions

_**I do not own Moonlight or original characters on the show. I have created the character Katherine. **_

_**This story is before Coraline's return. **_

_**Thanks for reading!**_

"What brings immortality? What brings hope and love forever? Who can give this to you?" Josef glared at the screen with his eyebrow up and light smirk on his face, his hand in the air holding the remote control. He had been channel surfing, and could not help but find some comedic light in the gestures of this man. He appeared to be an evangelical T.V. pastor.

"Jesus Can!!!" The audience shouted back to the man. Josef let out a chuckle and rolled his eyes.

"I will now heal three people, with the love of the Holy Lord Jeeessusss!!!" Josef laughed out loud now and turned off the television.

"Fire-wielding zealots." He said under his breath.

"Oh, I wouldn't call them that." He heard a soft voice behind him say. He turned suddenly to see her. He smiled wide now taking her in. She was grinning back at him looking as gorgeous as ever. Her light brown hair was swept in a ponytail, and her hands were firmly placed in her black trousers matched with a white blouse that pleasantly revealed her white camisole underneath.

"Katherine." He said smoothly. "Still defending the most Holy I see."

"As always." She said lifting her eyebrow gently. He walked to her and stood before her, admiring the view.

"Yes, I like this new look a lot better. Black hair and corsets just don't suit you as well as this." He smiled taking her hands in his and giving them a squeeze. She freed her hands from his and pinched his cheek lightly.

"Well Josef, you never did like things that were difficult to pull off in the mist of love making." She said walking away and sitting on Josef's couch.

"Yes, this is true. I must say fashion has indeed worked in my favor the past few centuries." He smiled to himself thinking an assortment of naughty thoughts. He took a moment to go over proudly his conquests. "And the hair," He continued out of his self reflection, "Quite becoming. Makes you look even younger." He went over her features quickly to make sure she had not other changes. Expressive green eyes: check. Soft, light skin: check. Luscious lips: check. Scar across the left side of her neck: still check. He frowned that she had still not covered it up even after all this time. Surely she must be reminded of that terrible time each time she saw it.

She pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. "I will take that as a compliment." He sat on the other end of the couch and made himself comfortable.

"What do you need?" He said closing his eyes and looking away. She laughed.

"Now what is that supposed to mean?" He smiled and then brought his hand up to his chin trying to look pensive.

"Well, let me take a survey of each time you have visited me since we stopped sleeping together. 1782: Needed a safe place to stay. 1816: Helped kill tracker after you. 1858: Needing another safe place to stay and transportation to evade yet another tracker. 1889…..I don't remember what that was for."

"Needed money." Katherine interjected cheerfully.

"Oh yes that is right. And then finally 1902: Money, kill tracker, safe place, and transportation." He crossed his arms in front of him. "I really can't imagine what would be wrong now." He smiled. "Tracker?"

"Yes." She said quietly

"Safe place?"

"Yes."

"Money?"

"Actually, no."

"Oh wow little girl has grown up!!" She shot a death glare at him.

"Look, I know it has been a while, and you have done a lot of things for me, but every time I have paid you back, in one way or another." She said confidently. He looked down and nodded.

"This is true. I guess I do have to owe some of my success to you. How about 5 percent of it?" She cocked her head to the side and pressed her lips together not appreciated the underestimation.

"Okay, fine 10 percent ."

"I can live with that." She got up then and walked over to Josef's fire place and watched the flames dancing for a few minutes. The memories in her mind were vivid and overwhelming. Josef watched her from the couch knowing what all she was thinking and remembering.

"What is it this time?" He said softly coming up behind her. She looked at him slowly.

"_There," he thought, "I can see that pain. How many times have a warned her? She suffers from her own stubbornness."_

"They're after me still. I killed one two years ago, and he was pretty ruthless. This tracker….this one now….I can't seem to get on my feet. I feel like I have been running on my knees for months. It took all I could summon to come to you again." Josef could not help but feel sympathetic towards her. He knew what it was to be hunted, but they were usually humans. Her enemies were ones he would never wish on his worst enemy. All she wished for was a normal life should could try to enjoy, but then again he knew that she never could. He would often tell her that she should vanish, and stop chasing a dream that simply would not come true. But no one really listened to Josef anyway.

"They're after me hard this time. It's because I know." Josef looked confused.

"What do you mean?" She put her hand on the mantle of the fireplace and looked down at the flames again.

"I know who the Protector is. I know the name. That's why I came to you." Josef felt a pit in his stomach open up. Could he be the Protector? The Protector's name was kept a secret even from the Protector himself. He swallowed hard.

"Who is it?"

"You know him….."

"I know a lot of people. Who?"

"A private detective. His name is Mick St. John."

Mick observed the scene before him. He hung back as he watched the police cover the body of a woman that had been discovered in this park two hours ago. Cause of death was obviously murder since her throat was slit, and evidence showed a struggle before hand. What was strange about this case was that the woman was naked and ritualistically cut. She had tattoos all over her body anyway, but it appears as if someone traced over them with sharp hot poker. He then felt a presence coming up behind him. He did not turn or even flinch because he knew exactly who it was.

"I just got finished talking to the police officer who found her. Did you see the cuts all over body?" Beth said coming to stand next to him as they watched the coroner place the body on a stretcher and in the ambulance.

"Yeah." He said quietly replaying the mental picture he had taken of the grisly sight. Beth watched as the ambulance drove away and then turned to Mick. He was staring with a furrowed brow at the out going vehicle.

"What is it?" She said concerned. He opened his mouth to say something, but then stopped and shook his head. He looked down as if searching something in his memory.

"Mick, what is the matter?" He turned to her.

"I don't know how to explain it, but the cuts….on the body….they looked familiar." He said slowly. "I know it sounds crazy but I can't ever remember seeing those symbols before, I just know them somehow…." He was looking towards to the ambulance again now long down the road. She looked worried at him.

"What do you mean?" Mick could not put it into words and gave up trying.

"Never mind. What did you find out?"

"Well apparently, her name was Cleopatra." Mick cocked his eyebrow. "Yeah, I know gaudy, but she was psychic I guess, and that was just her public name. Her real name was Samantha Gibbons." She peered over to the crime scene again." She was 34 years old, no family known and no significant other." She said glancing up to him when she said the last two words instinctually. He had been staring at her with a scowl on his face. He bite his top lip slightly still trying to find the connection he was feeling.

"This is really getting to you, isn't it?" She put her hand on his arm. He looked down at the connection he now had with her. He could not help but remember the feeding in the desert, the kiss, and the night of agonizing restraint in the shower. He pushed them hurriedly out of his mind. He nodded.

"I got to figure this out." He said walking toward his car. Beth soon trailed behind him.

"Where are you going?"

"To the only person I know that might know something about this. Josef." He opened the door and sat in his classic convertible. With the top being down, Beth could easily put her things in the back and climb in herself.

"What are doing?" He asked as she situated herself in the passenger seat.

"Sitting in your car, what are you doing?" She replied sarcastically. She smiled as he saw him look away stifling a chuckle.

"Seriously." He said.

"I'm going with you." She said putting her seat belt on.

"No, you're not." He said firmly.

"Yes, I am" She said even more firmly than he had mustered. He rested his elbow on the car door and leaned his head on it for a moment and turned to her.

"You had a problem with authority figures growing up, didn't you?" He said turning the ignition putting the car in to gear.

"Depends." She said coyly.

"On what?" He said backing out of the parking spot.

"On if you are trying to be an authority." He smiled towards her and chuckled.

"Well, technically, I am old enough to be your father, really your grandfather." Beth grimaced and shook her body violently as if to release the mere thought of him being a father or grandfather figure. Mick laughed out loud this time.

"Okay, you are never to say anything like that again! Gross!!" She was smiling and pointing as if presenting an order.

They drove into the night air of L.A. It was November and the weather was classic California, balmy and dry. He looked over at Beth and saw that she was thinking about the same thing. She closed her eyes and let the cool air brush all her worries away. Mick wished he could just forget all this concerns, but watching her do it was close enough.

He looked ahead of him and began once again thinking about the symbols he had seen on the woman's body, a triangle with a horizontal line through it inside of a circle. It was distressing him beyond patience, and he was more than concerned of what the implications were. These symbols were involved in a murder. It could only be pure evil.

He then heard Beth on the phone with her boss. He could hear every word of the conversations thanks to his superior vampire hearing, but he wasn't rude enough to stop Beth from repeating it to him when she hung up.

"It looked like this is the second murder like this in the last 10 years. A woman, another psychic was found in the park exactly 10 years ago tonight, with the symbols and everything. They had kept the symbols classified information so it did not incite copy cats." She said with her eyes bright. Even though she was obviously sad and disturbed that some one was murdered, she still liked the chase toward justice. She was quite the detective, but then Mick figured she would have to be being a journalist.

"So what are we thinking copy cat or serial killer?" She asked Mick.

"No….something doesn't fit here. Why would a serial killer wait ten years to do the same thing? And then why would there be a copy cat 10 years after the fact?" Mick said. Sure anything was possible, but something deep…..something intuitively told him it wasn't that cut and dry. But then what the hell was in this town?

"I don't know... there are some wackos around here. You know it was an unsolved murder 10 years ago. Maybe he is mad that no one figured it out. Or maybe someone became obsessed with the case and wanted to recreate it." Beth seemed to be talking to herself more than him. She turned to Mick.

"Why would Josef know about those symbols?" He turned to her and then looked back at the road.

"He _**might**_ know. Josef has been around awhile. Something about those symbols…I don't know something tells me they have a deeper meaning then just a ritual death. He is the only one I know that would be able to remember anything like this in the distant past."

"Do you think this is like an ancient cult or something?" She looked more than perplexed. How would Mick know these symbols simply be seeing them and resolving to think they are ancient?

"I really don't know how to explain it, Beth. It's just feeling."

"No, I get it. I really do." She put her hand on his shoulder. Of course, she knew exactly what he was feeling. When she first met Mick all she could think of was that he looked so familiar. It was so intense that even now she felt the same thing. Maybe that is why she kept coming back to him, even when she didn't have to. There was something there, something she could not explain even to herself. She was so positive that they had met before, but her memories where so muddled. The past was always something that Beth endeavored to forget. Who wouldn't when they had been terrorized at such a young age? Being kidnapped at 4 years old seemed to have made the profoundest impact on her life she could not never have imagined, but then Mick was making a pretty huge impact.

"Thanks." He said quietly. How did she manage to distract him so much? He then realized that she was doing what the cool breeze had done for her, she relaxed him. It refreshing to be with someone who could take you away from your thoughts, especially if you have been living with them for almost one hundred years. He could never have expected what an impact she would have on his life the night he found her with Coraline. A child so helpless and frightened had become this strong, determined, and beautiful woman before him. God, he could be her grandfather, he thought to himself. Yeah just another reason to not go down that dark, twisting road.

Soon, they were at Josef's. Like any unassuming gentleman would do, Beth found her door opened and a hand extended to help her out of the car. She could not help but be charmed. He closed the door behind her and then let go of her hand. She was sad to be out of his touch, but then he suddenly had his hand on her back gently guiding her to the door.

It took more than a few rings for Josef to come to the door. He knew he was there because he could smell him even from outside. Not to say Josef had a pungent odor to him, but once again another gift of vampirism. Beth started to look at him concerned and Mick started to get frustrated. It wasn't like Josef could not sense he was there.

When Josef did answer the door his hair was uncharacteristically disheveled and his clothes were more casual than usual. It was almost as if he had thrown them on. Mick eyed him suspsiously, but he could not smell another person with him, vampire or human.

"Hey there, Mick." He was holding the door as if to conceal what was inside.

"Hi, Josef." Mick slightly amused as his best friend's behavior. "Are we interrupting something?" Beth tightly hid a smile fearing that they had interrupted some massive orgy.

"Uh, No. Not really." Josef said smiling

"Oh, really?" Mick and Beth heard the voice inside say rather perturbed. Beth was about to release a giggle, but Mick looked strangely at Josef. Why hadn't he been able to smell the woman that was obviously in his house? Josef rolled his eyes and opened the door now and let them in. Josef introduced everyone.

"This is Katherine. Katherine, this is Beth Turner and….Mick St. John." At Mick's name Katherine mouth opened faintly as if shocked. Mick could not help staring her. Not only was she a mysterious person he did not know was acquainted with Josef, but he was disturbed that he could not detect her. She stood there with her blouse on the floor and her camisole shirt draped lightly over her. Even now, he could not sense her at all. During this time there was nothing but silence in the group as Katherine and Mick stared at each other.

"It is nice to meet you." Beth said approaching Katherine her hand extended in greeting. Katherine shook her hand and looked at her a moment and then returned to staring a Mick.

"Josef." Mick grabbed him by the arm and started guiding him to another room. "Can we talk for a second?"

Beth and Katherine were left suddenly. Beth tried to smile nicely but Katherine could not react with a polite gesture or reply. She was in as much shock as Mick was. She had found what she had been searching for all of her life. The answer to her mounting enemies and hopefully the safety she was hoping for. The setting was more than uncomfortable for the two women. Meanwhile, the feeling wasn't more comfortable to the men

"Who the hell is that woman?" Mick asked forcefully.

"Uh, Katherine. You know that are what introductions are for, my friend. Weren't you paying attention?" Josef said satisfied with his sarcastic barb. Mick looked more than serious though, so he knew the humor was lost.

"Why couldn't I smell her? Why could I sense her at all? What is she human, vampire, what?" Josef found he was rather smug for some reason in the company of his friend.

"Well she is both, but then neither. So don't think you have become sense impotent." Josef said as he put on a robe from his closet.

"Excuse me? What are you talking about?" Josef crossed his arms behind him and approached his friend.

"Have you ever heard of the society Bloodline?" Mick nodded no and Josef smiled further.

"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, friend, but that woman in there is the future ruler, weapon and enemy of the Bloodline. And guess who her knight in shining armor is? I always knew you were around for a reason."


	2. First Impressions

Beth could not have felt more awkward if she had walked into work buck naked. She looked at this woman who was obviously distressed, and tried her best not to stare or ask stupid questions. The journalist in her though was pushing her to ask who she was and how she knew Josef. Katherine watched for a few minutes the door that Mick and Josef had just entered in and closed. She then turned around and sat on the couch with her back to Beth.

Part of Beth was relieved that she was released from smiling stupidly every single time their eye sight crossed each other. Beth gave a great sigh. What was going on and why did Mick have to pull Josef in the other room? She could not help but feel like maybe Josef had done something wrong. The girl looked like she was old enough to engage in any kind of sexual activity, which was obviously what the two were about to engage in before they were interrupted. Beth could not tell if Katherine was a vampire like Mick and Josef, or a human like herself. She had only been used to asking that question for a few months now.

She glanced over to Katherine and that is when she saw it, the symbol carefully tattooed on her upper back. The triangle in a circle was colored in black but the line that ran through the triangle was red. Beth approached silently behind her to get a closer look, but before she could get within 3 feet Katherine quickly turned around glaring at her. Beth looked the other way trying to not look so obvious and then glanced back. Why was this symbol on her back? Beth started to wonder to if this symbol really did belong to some strange cult or something.

"Oh wow! Nice tattoo." She said smiling and pointing to Katherine's back. Katherine gave her a strange look and then turned to the front again. Beth felt even more awkward now that she had opened a conversation with her and had been duly rejected. Unfortunately, Beth did not know how to exist in a room with silence for long.

"So how long have you known Josef?" She asked out to Katherine. She felt like an idiot the moment the words fell out of her mouth. Katherine sniggered quietly and rolled her eyes. She turned to Beth.

"Awhile. You?" Beth wasn't happy with the vague answer but it was better than silence. She was feeling more than intimated in Katherine's presence.

"Uh, a few months now." Beth said suddenly feeling like she did not know what to say. "Nice guy." Beth closed her eyes now fairly revealed as a complete dip. Katherine felt a little sorry for her.

"Yeah, he is nice if you have something he wants." Katherine said mercifully.

"Yep, that is what I meant." Beth chuckled uncomfortably. She could not have been more relieved to see Mick and Josef coming back into the room. She high tailed it to Mick.

"Look at her back." She whispered to him and made a slight nod towards Katherine. Mick saw it and Beth could see the sudden swell of suspicion that she herself now possessed. He could not put a name on the feeling that suddenly overcame him seeing the symbol again. He felt defensive and strongly agitated. He felt violent even. Mick was a little more forceful and outright then Beth had been.

"Where did you get that?" He asked coming behind Katherine. Katherine stood and faced Mick with the couch in between them.

"Get what?" Katherine said.

"Your tattoo. I just came from a crime scene where a woman had the same tattoo. Someone cut into it and then slit her throat, and then you just happen to have the same symbol. What the hell is going on here? I want answers now!" Mick said pointing his finger down to the ground showing he wanted this explanation as quick and clear as possible. Beth was happy that he could do that a lot better then she ever could. Katherine parted her lips and scoffed.

"Look, I don't have to tell you a damn thing. I don't even know you, and I have no idea what you are talking about." Katherine replied. She knew this vampire's name but that was about it. Some part of her regretted that she had come back to L.A. to seek some stranger. She was never good at trusting people, especially when the person accuses her of something within minutes of meeting. She knew he was important for her survival, but she was not going to be treated like this. She was thoroughly angered and offended.

Mick looked even more enraged and something was in his eyes that Beth had never seen before. It was as if he was wild. It scared her to see him like that. She had seen him violent or forceful, but it was always deserved. They did not know this woman, and could not accuse her for just having a tattoo on her back. Before anyone knew it Mick had Katherine by the neck pushed against the wall.

"Tell me what is going on! Who is the Bloodline and why are they killing people? Why do I know the symbol??!!" Josef was soon beside him.

"Mick, calm down and let her go!" He said putting his hand on his friend's arm. Mick elbowed it off of him and knocked him down. Mick did not even give it a second thought that he had turned violent on his friend. This woman, she was doing something to him.

"No, I want answers. What is going on? What is happening to me?" He said slamming her harder against the wall. Katherine struggled to get free and then eerily stilled herself.

"Josef, tell him to let me go before I kick his ass." Josef came once again towards his friend.

"Mick, seriously let her go. Please this is just making everything worse." Beth was watching the scene unfold across the room. She felt like she could not move. What was going on? Why would Mick have such an outburst? She was frightened at what he might do. She was frightened of him.

"Tell me what is going on or I promise you, you will feel pain like you never have before." He said tightening his grip around her. Her eyes turned ice blue and her teeth turned into fangs. She took her hands away from his arms that held her neck, and with one quick punch sent Mick flying across the room. She was there before he realized was happening and punching him. She then lifted him and slammed him into Josef's coffee table, to Josef's horror. Then everything was silent and still again. Beth rushed over to Mick and tried to help him up. Katherine moved to the other side of the room and proceeded to simmer. She was prepared now if someone else wanted to play. Josef turned to her.

"You know I really liked that coffee table. I have had it for over 150 years." He said pointing to the ruins Mick was now lifting himself off of. He was in shock. How could she be stronger and more powerful than him? He had been in good scrapes with other vampires, but she was not registering as a vampire or a human. Josef had said that she both but neither. How was this possible?

"I mean seriously, do you know how much that cost? And then the memories….how can you put a price on that?" Josef was trying to make light of the situation. Everything was much better when things weren't taken so seriously.

"I'll get you another one, Josef." Katherine said annoyed.

"Yeah, but it won't be the same." He said almost pouting. "Oh well." He quickly brushed it off. "Well if everyone is done trying to become the World's Most Ultimate Fighter, perhaps an explanation can be given and moods improved."

"Yeah, how about starting with who the Bloodline is?" Mick said scornfully as he leaned on Beth. She sat him down in one of the recliners and stood behind him. Katherine glowered at him hatefully and then turned around to face the wall. Josef came up behind her.

"You know the whole point in finding the Protector before they do is to make sure he is on your side." Josef said putting his hand on her shoulder and turning her around. "Maybe we can try this one more time."

"And what happens if he goes nuts again?" She spat the words out toward Mick.

"You know it is the effect of the symbol and you aren't exactly helping it either. And if he does….I'll kill him." Josef shrugged and smiled at his joke. She looked at him unbelieving that he could even take him. Josef sighed defeated with his pride sliced in half.

"Fine, you would kill him." He came behind her and put his hands on her shoulders and guided her to the couch. "Now let's all play nice. I will go get us some refreshments of the deep red variety, well you know except for you Beth. I do however have some hard liquor I keep for the human kind that you would probably enjoy immensely at the moment." Beth shook her head. She could not even think about being thirsty at the moment or downing alcohol.

"We're fine Josef. Let's just figure this out." Mick said turning his attention to Katherine. "Well?" All eyes were on her.

"The Bloodline is an ancient vampire cult. They believe they have kept the pure line from the first vampire."

"That's not possible. How would they be able to track it?" Mick asked.

"They have been around for many centuries. They have texts that precede evidence of written word." Katherine answered strongly. She knew he was younger than her so to be questioned by him was more than aggravating.

"How long have vampires been around?" Beth asked bravely. If this woman knew for certain the things Beth had learned were only theory, she welcomed the answer.

"No one really knows, but the easy answer would be just as long as humans have been around." Josef said smiling proudly. "One could not live without the other." Beth found this statement suddenly in her heart and she thought about Mick. Could one live without the other? She knew her answer, but then what good would it do here. She focused on Katherine again.

"The society is beyond powerful, and has infiltrated every level of every government in the world. They control through their many minions posing as humans. They have to recycle every few years in order to appear human. They have an assortment of vampires in their army: representatives, seers, council members, and trackers." Katherine leaned forward and rested her folded arms on her knees. Just thinking of the Bloodline made her uneasy. She had spent so long running from them.

"When you say seers, are those like psychics?" Mick asked. The connection could be made to the two murders.

"Yes, they are able to predict the future, make prophecy. They are also are empathetically telepathic."

"You mean they can sense other people's feelings?" Beth felt fairly troubled by the notion.

"Yes, and they can receive memories from others. They cannot outright read your mind, but sometimes memories and emotions are all they need to manipulate you. Just by being in their presence causes your emotions to heighten so they can read you." Katherine looked away and Mick wondered if this skill had been used against her. For someone that could be a vampire she had a lot of scars on her back, arms and even neck. That would be strange for a vampire to have unless they were acquired before she was turned. He then thought of the last thing she said. _Heightened emotions? Maybe that was what it was, _he thought.

"Why would someone kill a human psychic?" Beth questioned. Josef looked over to Katherine and gave a worried look.

"It might the tracker that is after me. I am a seer and every seer, human or vampire, has a connection. He can find me by extracting it from them." Katherine sat back into the couch. The tracker was here.

"So he tortured them?" Beth asked and Katherine nodded back.

"What is the symbol? What is it supposed to mean?" Beth asked.

"The circle means purity and perfection. The triangle represents community and power. The red line is meant to represent the pure blood line." Mick thought about all that he had been told. There was a lot to suck in and the next question would certainly answer his biggest question.

"Why do I recognize it? Why did Josef say I was your "knight in shining armor"?" Katherine looked over to Josef who then looked away as if suddenly distracted.

"That would be hard to explain without you knowing about me."

"Then who are you? Are you apart of the Bloodline? What are you exactly?" Katherine sighed and looked at Josef and shook her head. Josef could only offer a small smirk. Mick was still young to the both of them, and still had much to learn in the community of vampires. One thing that most vampires had heard though was the prophecy that Katherine was apart of, but then Mick could never let go of once being human. His focus was more on his past then what he was now.

"There is a prophecy that is well known to most vampires." Josef began. "The prophecy was received by a seer more than a millennium ago in the Bloodline. Basically it is as follows:

One of a new breed

In curse she shall be free

Power & control in place

She can leave no trace

Not belonging to one or the other

She shall be the new Mother

Pure of blood at last

A new way she shall cast"

Josef looked at Beth and Mick. "Yeah I don't like the whole rhyming thing either, but that was the style back then." Mick stared at Katherine bewildered and shook his head.

"What does that mean, one of a new breed? How are you neither human nor vampire?" Katherine looked at him and then away.

"It's a long story." She said softly.

"Well we aren't going anywhere." Mick retorted. Josef came and sat by her. Partly to act as a buffer if Katherine should choose to kill Mick suddenly out of anger and partly to offer some sort of support.

"My father was apart of the Bloodline. He was a seer. He knew the prophecy very well, but never would have anticipated that he would be apart of it. He fell in love with woman, a human." Beth felt her blood go cold. She could tell where this was going.

"She knew he was a vampire, but she loved him anyway. They were very passionate with each other, and could not be denied what was certainly forbidden. There would not have been a problem with that except she got pregnant, with me."

"How can that be? Vampires can't have children." Mick moved toward the end of his seat.

"They can, the vampire must be a man and the human a woman. A vampire cannot hold life inside of them, so a female vampire could not carry a baby to term, but a male vampire can give life." She refuted back.

"No, I don't believe that." Mick was not being honest, he could not believe it. He could be a father. He could have a family, if the woman was human. This was too much. It was too good to be true, so he could not wrap his head around it.

"There are…..consequences." Katherine said strongly becoming increasingly irritated from Mick disbelieve and interruptions.

"What do you mean?" Beth said slowly. This subject had not escaped her attention either, but of course there was always a catch.

"My mother did not survive delivering me, and neither has any other who has tried. The children are usually either vampire or human. The vampire children do not survive, but a few human children have. However, I am neither as the prophecy says. I am both but I do not belong to one world. I can go out into sunlight, eat human food, and even get sick."

"Yeah, so what about the vampire side? I don't imagine that a human could toss me like a rag doll." Mick had to admit that his pride was comprised at the fact that a female had royally kicked his ass, but then she had a very good reason why.

"Yes, I do have vampire traits as well. I have the strength, the heightened senses, but I do not have to feed constantly. I go through what you might call heats. I must feed 1-2 times a year, and when I do it must be a great amount." Beth felt her mind and stomach swirl. She had to plant her feet firmly to the ground hearing this. It was totally unbelievable that she was actually in a conversation of this subject, of these participates. Things had more than changed in her life. Her life had been turned upside down and inside out.

"I also inherited my father's ability as a seer and telepathic. It might be the reason you went out of control." She directed the last sentence directly to Mick and held his eyes. He could see that she was still steaming from his outburst.

"Look…I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I have never felt like that." Mick said apologetically finally.

"I guess it could be my fault. In stressful moments, my abilities sometimes heighten out of my control. To be fair, it is no one's fault." Katherine admitted. Josef smiled and slapped his hands on his knees.

"Good!! All better?"

"No!" Beth, Mick, and Katherine answered at the same time. Josef got up.

"Okay then, time for refreshments!" Just as Josef finished, a flaming arrow missed him and slammed into a wall behind him.

"Maybe not!"


	3. The Attack

Before Beth realized it, she was on the ground with Mick trying to protect her from the gun fire raining into Josef's living room. She managed to look over and see that Josef was on the ground as well, but she could not see Katherine.

When the gunfire stopped Mick took Beth by the arm and led her to a room. As soon as Beth was on her feet the gunfire started again and they had to crouch down and run. As soon as Mick brought her into the room he said, "Stay here!" and then he was back into the living room.

When Mick entered the room again he found Josef trying to make his way into the kitchen. He saw that his friend had been injured and crawled over to him. The gunfire had stopped, but Mick found it was probably a good idea to stay out of sight. He knelt beside Josef.

"You alright?" He asked looking at the blood that was on his friend's shirt. It looked like a few of the bullets had hit his chest.

"Yeah, I'm fine. They will heal up in a minute. Have you seen Katherine?" Mick nodded from side to side.

"I haven't seen her since the gun fire started." Mick looked around the corner towards the living room. He could see that the massive window that used to look over the pool was completely blown out. He then spotted a man, a vampire, dressed in black coming into the house through the broken window. They man began to inspect the room to find what Mick assumed was Katherine. Mick rushed and slammed him on the ground. He was able to lay a few punches into the tracker, but soon he found himself in the same position as the other was able to turn him over and start assaulting him. Mick head butted him and he was on top of him again.

"Who are you?!" He yelled. His question was not answered so he punched the tracker again. Suddenly the tracker moved so quick that Mick didn't see what was in his hand when he struck his chest. The feeling of wood in his chest was familiar and agonizing. He fell to the side, and struggled uselessly for function of his body. He had been paralyzed by a stake. The tracker brought out a machete that had been strapped to his back, and positioned himself to separate Mick's head from his body. He lifted the machete in the air, and Mick's life flashed before his eyes and the worry that Beth was still in other room invaded his mind. This would be the end, and suddenly he felt like he had wasted so much time despite having so much of it.

Out of the blue, Katherine appeared in back of the tracker with a sword. She swiftly cut the trackers head off, and watched as the body went limp and awkwardly fell over. She looked at the body for a moment, and then finally came to Mick's aid by pulling the stake out his heart.

"You okay?" She asked as she helped him up.

"Yeah…."He groaned. "Who was that?" He looked as the head severed 2 feet away from the body, and noted that he could have easily looked like that had he not been saved.

"Oh, no one to lose your head over." Katherine joked and smiled at Mick. She then turned serious. "He is a tracker. The one I have been running from for many months now. Thanks for your help distracting him."

"My help, you just saved my life. I should be thanking you."

"No need. You will return the favor soon." She said walking away and leaving Mick to inspect Josef who was now standing in the living room.

"How many times did he get you?" She asked as she saw the blood streaks all over his shirt.

"Is that my 13th century samurai sword? Seriously Katherine, do you intend to ruin all of my antiques?" He pretended to be upset.

"Well, I had to find something to kill him!" She pointed to the body. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He grabbed the arrow that was imbedded into his wall, still flaming. He gave a smug smile, and then stomped the flame out and headed to the couch. "Well, it is always fun to have you over Katherine. We should destroy my house and belongings more frequently." He crossed his arms and sat down. Meanwhile, Mick had retrieved Beth from the bedroom. She stood in shock looking over the destruction, and the beheaded body of the assassin.

"You know, I am really beginning to understand why you tell me to stay some where." She said quietly during her survey.

"So what happens now? Are they going to send another one after you?" Mick asked as he started to search the body for some identification. He found an assortment of weapons in hidden pockets and folds.

"Oh yes…they will send a new one. You think this one is annoying? Imagine doing this 25 times in your lifetime." Josef got up and walked towards the kitchen passing Katherine on the way.

"There's always something, isn't there Katherine?"

"Oh shut up, Josef. You have only helped me with 5 so far." She said to him as he was in the kitchen fetching a beverage of blood.

"Does that include this one, Kat?" He took a deep sip and came back into the room.

"No, because you did not help me with this one. Mick did."

"Oh, yeah sure. The Protector arrives, and what I am I chopped liver for the last 250 years?" Mick head popped up from his inspection of the tracker.

"What are you talking about?" Josef looked at Katherine and she looked away saying nothing. "You know, I would be really happy to find out how I factor into all of this since I keep getting talked about."

"Well, my friend, "Josef began as he moved over to him. "Like I said you are Katherine's knight in shining armor. You are the 2nd most important thing to the Bloodline." Josef then made a look of revulsion as he assessed the body. "My God Katherine, they are getting uglier!" Mick rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips in frustration.

"Can someone please finish this so we can move on?" Mick demanded. Beth moved beside him.

"Yeah, if they are sending a new tracker then we don't have a lot of time to put space between us." Beth reminded the group.

"Well, before we were rudely disturbed, we were going over Katherine's colorful life." Josef smiled at her. "Basically, she is supposed to be the new leader of the group. It was prophesied that she would change the whole dynamic of the society, but the people ruling now want her to rule their way. Because of that she has been captured a few times, but damnit! The girl can't be put down." Katherine sat down and acted as if she was not listening. She was staring out the open space that was once the window. Beth noticed something come over her face and could not contain her curiosity.

"What do they do to you when they capture?" She asked out too quick to realize that she had asked it out aloud. Katherine did not move and kept staring. Josef stepped in.

"Katherine is a very dramatic type, you see. She doesn't talk about any of that. What you should know is that no one can kill her besides taking her head off like our friend here. Even fire can't kill her, only one person can kill her." Josef said gesturing to Mick.

"Who? Me?" Mick said pointing to himself.

"Exactly." Josef replied.

"I don't get it…..how am I supposed to be the Protector and the only one that can kill her?" Katherine then seemed to come out of the fog she was in and turned to Mick.

"There is more to the prophecy:

One must look after

She must avoid capture

Enemies always on all sides

A Protector to answer her cries

No one can bring her death

Except the one who must protect

"It was known that there would be ones that sought to control me, to bend me to their will. What they have done to the Bloodline now is all about power. Power over the world, power over other vampires, and especially power of humans. They want control of everything, but they must do it such a way to not be detected. Even though they are powerful they are heavily outnumbered by humans, but they have been working on that for years."

"Do you mean they are making vampires?" Beth asked.

"What better way to grow an army?" Beth was shocked at Katherine's answer. She knew that vampires attacked to feed, but the idea that humans were being turned against their will to serve for a purpose that they did not believe in or even benefited from. She thought about how Mick was turned against his will. She wondered if they were all as sad and lonely as he was.

"The reason for the Protector was that many seek to take my life outside the society. They are looking for pride, glory, or power over the group. If the prophecy did not include that I could not be killed except for the one that would protect me, I would already be dead." She stood and walked to Mick. "They don't want me dead because they have so many who expect me to rule, and who need me to rule. They would lose power from their own constituents."

"Because I have met you, it means that I am to come to power finally, that I will overthrow the Bloodline system that has been ruling for centuries. I have been looking for you all of my life." Mick felt like he was going to be sick, if he could remember what that even felt like. He shook his head.

"No…I am not your…Protector. Look, I have no idea how I would even help you. I mean," He moved away from her trying to put as much distance as he could between them. "I'm not going to kill you, so there, go take your place." Katherine looked down and sighed.

"You don't understand." She turned around to him. "I know who you are because they know who you are. They will find you and capture you just like they have me. They will try and turn you to work for them." She came close to him once more. "Believe me, if anyone knows what they are capable of it is me." She traced the scar on the left side of her neck with her finger. "They didn't want to kill me, but they kept this wound open for one week." Mick looked at the gruesome scar and wondered what agony she must have gone through.

"And if that doesn't change your mind," She turned around and walked to Beth. "They find people that are important to you, people you might care and love." Mick swallowed hard and could see the fear in Beth's eyes growing. "They will find a fragility or softness in your life, and they will exploit it. They will take it away so quickly and easily that you can not do a thing about it." Now Mick could see the pain in Katherine's eyes, the same pain that Josef had seen earlier. She walked to the other side of the room away from everyone.

"You have no idea what has been taken from me. They will do the same to you." She spoke softly. "I cannot help what I am, and I cannot help what you are either, but we can stop a society that are taking lives away from people, and who will eventually find a way to get exactly what they want."

"This is it." She said holding her hands out. "We are the only ones who can stop them."

"We? Wait I did not sign up for this." Josef said firmly.

"It looks like no one did, Josef." Beth said. "She is right though. If you are the ones who can stop this…you can't just ignore it." Beth looked at Mick and he looked away. He thought of all the possibilities, all the things he had to lose. He could not escape the fear of the people he could lose. Beth stood there trying to be brave, but he could practically smell the fear on her. How could he do that to her? Hadn't he involved her enough in a world that she did not belong and every day took away from her life? Hadn't he involved himself in enough hope to insure disappointment with her? This was crazy, and he could not imagine asking anymore of her. He would ask her to keep his true self and the Bloodline a secret, to help him, and to have her suffer. No, this was too much. He could not have Beth be subjected anymore to suffering caused by him and the under world he belonged to.

"No….No! I am not doing it!" He then turned quickly and walked outside. Beth looked at Katherine.

"I'll go talk to him." She reached the door and turned to her again. "You understand why he doesn't want to….." She trailed off. Katherine looked down and then back to her. Beth was amazed how this woman could guard her emotions so much, and then when they were unleashed they were so painfully written on her face.

"Yes." Beth nodded to her and went out to talk to Mick.

Josef took a long drag of his cup of blood and chuckled.

"That went well."


	4. The Plan

Mick expected Beth to check on him. He expected the hand that she placed on his shoulder. What he did not expect was how much he relaxed the moment she touched him. He looked over his shoulder and she tried to give a small smile. He looked back into the night.

"You're not going to convince me, you know." Beth came closer to him. He could feel her breath against his neck. He could not stop his being from completely disarming. It was if he was melting, and he did not like the vulnerability. It was like the first time that he held her. He had denied touch from another person for so long, and then out of gratitude she hugged him. It was all over then. He knew what he had been missing.

"No, I know that." She stood in front of him. "You're going to convince yourself." He looked at her confused. "Mick, I am already in danger, the people you care about are already in danger. If you don't help Katherine it's not going to change that." He walked to other side of the porch and faced away from her. She waited patiently for him to speak again.

"You don't understand." Mick said quietly. He could not think of what the possibilities could hold if he decided to agitate these people. It might not change the fact Beth was in danger, but surely if he helped piss the Bloodline off then that would be digging her grave.

"Yes, I do Mick. I'm in danger all the time with my job." Mick turned promptly around and came with in a foot of her.

"No, Beth this is different. These aren't people who don't want to get interviewed or reported on. These are monsters that are stronger, faster, and smarter than you. They have been around for centuries. They will literally eat you for dinner, Beth." She couldn't help her mouth from gaping of how graphic and unrestrained he was. She took a deep breath and then looked back up to him.

"Is that what you see yourself as, Mick? A monster?" He scoffed and then gave a small smile as if to dismiss her. There she was looking for emotional edge on the story.

"You just don't get it." He made a move to walk away, but she reached out and held him place.

"Okay, so maybe I don't understand what I'm getting myself into asking you to help. Maybe I have no idea about this dark world that you are from, but then neither do you." He stared at the floor. She brought her hand up to his face and made him look at her.

"You're not a monster, Mick. But if you don't help her stop these people from killing people and turning people against their will, you will be." Her eyes were so honest and they took no prisoners. She left him on the porch and went back into the house.

She knew what was right, even if it meant it put her in danger. He knew what was right, but he couldn't put some one in a position that they did not ask for. He could have never turned someone against their will. What Coraline had done to him all those years had changed not only who he was physically, but in every way. He could rarely trust, and when he did he treasured it almost to a fault. He knew that sometimes what is hard and what is right is the same thing, but with Beth it was different. He felt responsible for what Coraline had done to her when she was a child. That frightening experience had changed Beth's life completely. How could he not feel responsible? Maybe that was why he kept up with her all these years. Why he kept coming back even though he knew that Coraline was dead. He had watched her grown and become a woman. He marveled at the idea. The child that he saw the night he killed Coraline looked so vulnerable and scared, but yet he could still see that strength there. The resilience and morality this woman had inside of her regardless of being threaten on many levels was astonishing.

And then he looked within himself. He was not scared of what would come for him, or what harm he would suffer. He was a self deprecating kind of person, and often became depressed with the curse he struggled with everyday, but he wasn't scared of death. How long had he expected it or even wished for it? How could a woman in her late twenties who had no advantages over him physically, be so much braver to take a risk for good despite the consequences? He laughed to himself quietly.

_Wow, Mick. You really are getting ass kicked by a bunch of girls tonight._ He thought comically. Beth was proving to be quite the little moral compass, despite being the head reporter for smutty website. Mick chuckled again.

When he entered Josef's place once more, he saw Josef now completely dressed with Katherine. She was taking the weapons that they had found on the tracker. She picked up the machete and the samurai sword and began visually comparing them

"I think I like the samurai sword better." She said holding it up to Josef. He made an annoyed face.

"You can't take that! I told you that was an antique. It's worth more than your life….well to me at least anyway." Josef insulted. She glared at him for more than a few uncomfortable moments. Josef could not smile or continue with another joke because he was not sure how she was taking his joke. She flung the machete at him. He ducked just in time before it took off his own head.

"Hey!" He shouted as he got back up. She tucked the samurai sword in the tracker's holder and put it on her back.

"Sorry Josef, I was testing how much worth you had. I think the machete won." Beth tried to conceal her laughter, and quieted when she saw Josef giving her a dirty look. She then noticed that Mick was back in the room and smiled. He met her eyes, and gave a small smile. He then turned his attention to Katherine and Josef.

"So what's the plan?" Katherine looked up at him, and then gathered the rest of the things from the tracker.

"It depends on if you are in." She said coming to stand in front of him. He nodded to confirm his answer.

"Good. The more the merrier!" Josef exclaimed.

"Why are you going?" Mick asked. He found his friend's decision conflicting to his earlier attitude of not wanting to be involved.

"Well, you know that whole seeing into the future thing….It kind of really helps business. Stocks are just not the easy to predict anymore." Josef said unapologetically.

"Typical. Tell me Josef when was the last time you exercised your conscience?" Josef thought for a moment and the smiled and placed his hands together.

"Oh yes, I remember. I was 5 years old, and I apologized for trying to drown my younger sister. The little bitch always told on me." He said as if the group should feel sorry for him. Beth rolled her eyes and then approached Mick.

"I'm going with you." Mick looked like he was about to protest. "Look, they will find me if I'm alone and there is no one else who could protect me. Well, not anyone who would believe what they would have to protect me from." Mick looked a little frustrated but then settled with agreeing.

"Fine. You do what I say whenever I say it. You don't need to be involved anymore than you are."

"Oh believe me, after listening tonight and seeing I did not get killed because of it has cemented a new habit. I'm well satisfied with involvement of the lesser kind." Beth stated sincerely. Mick nodded and then looked to Katherine.

"We're going to Florida. I have some followers there." She said as pulled a duffel bag from the porch and loaded the weapons into it.

"Oh Yea! A vampire vacation in the sunshine state! How ironic." Everyone decided to ignore Josef this time and focused on Katherine.

"Do we need to bring something? Pack bags? How long will we be gone?" Beth asked impatiently. Even though she understood that her life was now in peril, she was still a working girl who had to pay the bills. She would need to tell her boss something. Oh, and mentioning to her boyfriend Josh would be good idea, even if that relationship was up in the air lately.

"There is nothing you need to bring. I can buy anything that we do need, and it will take however long it takes" Katherine said simply.

She operated from completely different perspective than Beth. She was much older and therefore had lost the constant worrying over life and all its worries. Well she had no other worries except for worrying about being captured by the Bloodline, which Beth could not even begin to relate to. She had gone through enough to give at least a brief description on what it felt like, and what to do on just about everything. Beth could not imagine being alive so long, but she could imagine what the desire must be to want it.

When she begged Mick that night to turn her, some part of her really meant it. What would it be like to live life outside the box? No lines or barriers that you had grown up with and had been imposed on you, but then what would it be like to be told that you could not have a family or carry a child. Sure Beth was young and still career minded, but she had always dreamed of having children. She could easily fantasize about her wedding and her husband, along with the picket white fence and the mini van parked in the two car garage. 

She was like any hot blooded woman, but the world that she was diving into did not validate or allow any of that. The desire she was feeling to be so connected to it was coming from some place dark and primitive. It excited her, but at the same time scared the hell out of her.

Before Beth realized it they were in Mick's car driving to the airport to climb to Josef's private jet. She was going to Florida….with 2 vampires and a hybrid. She could not even rationalize the situation if she tried, and that damn journalist inside her was really trying to. To try and convince herself she tried to imagine she was doing a story. She could see herself holding the microphone interviewing and everything:

"Hi, I'm Beth Turner from Buzzwire, and I am currently riding in a vehicle with Mick St. John a vampire, along with Josef and Katherine, also of the vampire breeding. Tell me Mick, what influenced your decision to allow me to accompany you tonight?"

"Well Beth, when I realized that you could be tortured or murdered because of my involvement with Katherine back there, I just figured it would be a good idea for you to tag along. I mean after all, you seemed to really want to anyway."

"And what about you Josef?"

"Uh, no comment. I would hate to spread the illogical and obviously false report of vampires, but then again if it turns on any of you women out there….I am available for personal investigation."

"Beth!" She suddenly heard her name being called out worriedly by Mick.

"Huh?" She said looking around. Everyone was out of the car and staring at her.

"You okay?" He asked opening her door. She grabbed her bag and stood up.

"Oh yeah, just thinking about the story for the psychic. Oh that reminds me. I better call the office and tell them my grandmother died or something." She said reaching for her phone.

"Yeah, that used to be good one." Katherine said as they started to head to jet on the runway waiting for them. "I think mine died like 7 times, until she really died and then it just wasn't that funny anymore." Josef laughed out loud. Katherine looked over to him seriously.

"I wasn't kidding. I really did love my grandmother." She said as if she was intensely hurt by his insensitivity. Josef gave her a good look over and then tried to stammer an apology. Unfortunately, Katherine could not hold on and started laughing herself.

"Ha! I got you!" She said leaving Josef standing shocked that he had been duped.

"You know what? You sit near the bathroom in back." He said butting in front of her on the stairs up to the jet.


	5. Flying and Sleeping

When Beth entered the jet and she marveled at the luxury. She could remember her first air plane trip as a child of 10 years old, and how it all seemed so fancy back then. This far surpassed anyone of her other flying experiences she had in the past. She gawked at the huge leather seats, which Josef would later show her that folded back to become a bed. She was in awe of the wealth of technology and amenities. There were at least 4 flat screen televisions, and the trimmings of everything seemed to be made of gold.

"What exactly do you do, Josef?" She asked as she sat down. He was already comfortable in a chair with a magazine.

"A great many things, Beth. A great many things." He said not even looking up from his magazine. Beth saw Katherine sitting behind him making a face and rolling her eyes. She could not understand what their connection was. They seemed to always be at each other throats. They did not even pass as friends, so how could they be lovers? Had Beth been mistaken with the situation they had walked in? Had she assumed too much. No, she had been in how many of those scenarios. She knew exactly what would have happened had they not come.

The seats were aligned two to a row for 3 rows, and after that a desk and the bathroom. She sat in the row across from Josef in the seat next to the window. Mick followed her and sat in the aisle seat. She could not lie, and think she was not satisfied with him sitting next her. It was like that cool guy in high school every teenage girl has a crush on coming and sitting with her at lunch. She still had it, but then what was she thinking? This was not high school, and he was not some high school age cutie. In fact he could have gone to high school with her grandfather. She immediately pushed the thought out of her mind. She was already violating the order she imposed on Mick.

"Sir, we should be ready for departure in 5-10 minutes." A voice buzzed into a speaker near Josef. He nodded.

"Very good, thank you." Beth smiled with nervousness.

"It's not your first time flying is it?" Mick wondered smiling.

"No, but it is the first time in snazzy private jet." She answered her eyes going over the modern splendor before her.

"Thanks." Josef said.

"She wasn't talking to you." Katherine said sitting forward in her seat addressing Josef.

"I'm aware of that." He finally lowered his magazine. "I was just expressing my gratitude for good taste. Something you could learn." He said engrossed in his read once more. Katherine sat back.

"Your right, Josef. Sleeping with someone like you has never been good taste. I am so glad you pointed it out to me." Josef chuckled at her.

"That's okay. It would be your loss." She pulled her self up from his seat, and popped her ahead around toward him.

"That's not what you were saying last time." Beth laughed out loud, and Mick held his amusement as best as he could.

"You know what? I don't remember saying anything last time, Katherine."

"Well, that's because you were gagged." Katherine replied unabashedly. Beth's eyes were huge, and her mouth tried its best not to gape at the conversation she was being submitted to.

"You guys know there are other people here who aren't really interested in your sex lives." Mick said finally having enough of the banter.

"Oh, too bad. Because I could give an impression of other things Josef has stupidly said in fits of passion." Katherine threatened. Josef put his magazine down and looked at her. Beth could not figure what passed over his face while he stared her down. She smiled defiantly as if baiting him, and he looked as if he enjoyed it. It was almost a mutual adoration, like they had met each other's match. Whatever relationship they had was strange to Beth, and seemed to work for them.

"Just remember it goes both ways, Katherine." And turned away from her, and grabbed another magazine from the pocket in front of him. "Anyway, it's not like Mick and Beth have exciting sex lives. It's not their fault that they despise us for it." He smiled as he read. Mick reached over and hit him on his shoulder.

"Hey!" Josef laughed, knowing he deserved it.

"Was that protecting my honor?" Beth asked Mick.

"If you want it to be." He smiled. She put her hand up for a high five and he met her.

"Thanks." She then made herself comfortable in her seat. It would be an almost 4 hour flight, so she decided to take a nap. Before she could rest in to the rhythm of sleeping she heard Mick say something softly, almost inaudible.

"Thanks." She picked her head up from resting to the side.

"What?" She asked. He glanced over to her for a moment and then looked at everything else but her.

"Thanks." He repeated. She crinkled her forehead in confusion.

"For…?" Mick looked over to her, but he still could not hold her gaze. He put his head on the back of the seat and looked up.

"For earlier…..our talk." He said quietly.

"Oh." Beth remembered, but had not expected to be thanked for it.

"I just wanted to say you were right, and thanks for….I don't know…I guess…." He stammered on. Why was it so hard for him to thank you for this? He could not understand why he suddenly felt as if he was being pressed under a car, and couldn't breathe. He could not look into her eyes because he knew; he just knew that he would not be able to finish it.

"It's okay." Beth rescued him. "Your welcome. Anytime." He nodded and finally looked at her. She was so beautiful. She looked like an angel, even if he knew her better to not think of her as one. She had a little dark side too. God he couldn't stand that the reason they were together at the moment was to journey into darkness and danger. Total mood killer! What was he talking about? There was no mood. There was no chance. He was what he was, and Beth even had a boyfriend. He smiled back at her slightly, and then turned away quickly. Suddenly, his decision to sit with her became more complicated then wanting to sit next to her. It turned into some mental and emotional torture.

He watched silently as Josef showed her how to fold the chair back. He became exasperated when he realized she was just going to lean on the chair. He didn't pay thousands of dollars for the damn chairs just to be leaned on. When Mick knew that Beth was asleep he got up and sat next to Josef. He noticed that Katherine was sleeping in her chair as well.

_I guess she doesn't have to deal with the refrigerated variety_, he thought to himself.

"Got too tired of torturing yourself?" Josef quipped. Mick gave him a warning look.

"Okay, fine. You know what I think about it." Josef looked out the window. They had been in the air for about an hour. If Mick looked out the window he would see the deepest black, and then suddenly there was a city of lights, the only bright thing in the darkness. He guessed they had to be over the deserts now. It was beautiful to fly over them in the night. He then heard the soft breathing of Katherine in a deep sleep.

"How long have you known this girl, Josef?" He softly spoke. Josef looked over to him and then stole a peek behind him to make sure she was asleep.

"A long time." Josef said simply.

"What is that supposed to mean? A couple of years? A couple of decades?" Josef laughed.

"Oh, Mick still so young." Mick rolled his eyes and looked over to Beth. _Old enough to_ _be her grandfather_, he thought. "Try centuries."

"How did you meet? How do you know so much about the Bloodline?" Mick questioned. Why did Josef know so much and why was he so involved with this woman? Josef seemed to grow uncomfortable. Mick had never seen him squirm this much for a question that he must have been expecting.

"Well, we met at a party, and I was apart of the Bloodline." Josef said looking out the window again.

"What?! You are apart of them." He exclaimed in shock. He looked at the women who were sleeping and saw that they had not woken up despite his outburst.

"Yeah, and so are you whether you know it or not! You're the Protector." Josef whispered smartly. "Look, it was different then. Nothing like it is now. You had choice about being a vampire, and wasn't all about power, it was about order. It was a brotherhood." Mick calmed down.

"Fine." He waited for his friend to continue but he didn't. _God, is this going to be like pulling teeth?, _he wondered. "What was it like then?" Josef looked back at him. Mick could see that he was considering continuing.

"I was a tracker, the first one after her." Josef let the statement sink in. Mick tried not to react so that he would go on. "She was born about 300 years ago. The prophecy consumed everyone. We just wanted to know who she was, and what was going to be so goddamn different that she would be a prophecy." Josef looked back at Katherine again making sure she was asleep. "I tracked her down living in England. She was living with a woman, a vampire, who had left the Bloodline. Katherine wanted nothing to do with the Bloodline after they killed her father."

Mick's eyes must have expressed surprise and sorrow because Josef shook his head and followed quickly with, "She hates talking about it, so you can never mention it. She has only talked about it once to me….and believe me, I don't ever want to experience that again."

"The woman threw a party, and was introducing Katherine as Katie, but we all called her Kat, her estranged niece. I managed to procure an invitation." Josef stopped and looked as if he was caught up in the memory. "I can still remember the moment I saw her. She was ravishing. The most beautiful woman I had seen….well up to that point anyway." He smiled coyly. "I introduced myself, and we hit it off immediately. She was so refreshing. She holds nothing back, and she was so passionate, _very passionate_." The goofy grin on his face could only mean one thing, and Mick could not help but thinking it. _In Josef's terms: easy_. Then Josef turned serious.

"Yet, she was so much more than that. She was sad, and vulnerable. You just wanted to….I don't know…hold her." Mick could not contain his astonishment now at his friend.

"Josef, are you getting….sentimental?" Mick asked confused. Josef laughed at him.

"Oh God, no!" He said patting his friend as if he had told the best joke. "No." He then sobered up. "But you have felt it, and you'll continue to feel it. She has that effect on people. She can convey her emotions on you, without you knowing it. So if she is sad, you are sad. She wants to be held, you want to hold her. If she is horny, then…"

"Okay, I get it!" Mick interrupted.

"Anyway, I was infatuated with her. She was a very pleasing distraction for a very long time. She was the one that told me about the sinister side of the Bloodline. It wasn't staying a brotherhood anymore. It was a power struggle, and I was just a pawn. She helped me get out." Mick turned away, and started to think about what he had been told. He felt like he was learning so much about his friend just by learning about Katherine. And then learning about Katherine, the one he was to protect was interesting as well. Although, he wasn't sure how much he would need to protect her since he had seen her use a samurai sword to save his live with great ease.

"Yeah it was a good thing too." Josef kept on. "They started this really ludicrous law where members had to start giving part of their money. Yeah, like I was doing that." Josef stretched out and put his hands behind his head.

"And now? What is she to you now?" Mick asked. Josef closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Nothing now, I guess. Not now that the _**Protector**_ is here." He grinned. Mick gave him a sideways look.

"You're jealous!" Mick pointed at his friend. He knew the green eyed monster when he saw it, and Josef was looking mighty green.

"No!" exclaimed Josef. "What do I have to be jealous about?" Mick smiled. _That sounds_ _like a jealous man to me_, he thought.

"Well, the fact that she has been coming to you for help for what did you say? Centuries? And then knight in shining armor shows up, and you are left by the wayside." Mick hypothesized. Josef kept shaking his head, but he wasn't wearing a smile anymore. Then Mick realized, _Oh man he might really feel bad about this._ Then it hit him.

"You thought you were the Protector, didn't you?" Mick asked him. Josef put his hand down on the arm rests. He just nodded his head no, but Mick knew. He knew Josef well enough to know when he was lying at least. Mick didn't know what to say then, and just sat back. Neither one said a thing for awhile. Then Mick worked courage up for the next question.

"You don't, or at least you didn't love her…..did you?" Josef didn't make a move. He looked down and then up at Mick.

"Maybe….one time I did, but it's not the same. I mean you get older, well at least on the inside." Josef couldn't hold on to joking though. "She changed….the last time they got her…it was bad. She just broke. I was one who helped her escape that time." He paused for moment remembering all the things they went through to get her to freedom once more, but in the end she would feel trapped with her memories nonetheless.

"I thought I could reach her, or that she would just be the same. You know, she was always tough as nails, but she was fun and…..I don't know very different. The pain, the darkness in her hadn't taken over before, you know? She still plays and jokes with me, but it's almost like she does it because she knows I expect. Then again, I never did like relating any other way." Josef shrugged. Then they heard rustling behind them and Katherine got up and headed to the bathroom. Josef looked like he had been caught naked at church, and Mick didn't feel much better. Mick looked at Josef for what to do, or at least what he should do.

"I'll go check on her." Josef reluctantly got up. Before he headed to the back though he turned around, "You know if you tell anyone else that drabble I just told you…I'll kick your…" Mick looked at him and Josef could read the thought on his face, _"Yeah sure, Josef." _"Fine, I'll get Katherine to kick your ass." And with that he headed towards Katherine.

Mick sat back and chuckled.


	6. Doubts & Driving

**Thanks to everyone who is reading. I really am grateful for your interest. Thanks to those who review. Thanks for taking the time. **

**I know that this story labels as a Supernatural as well as Drama. I feel the Supernatural part of this story has already been well presented. However, the Drama is still coming up. There have been glimpses of it, but the story is pretty light at the moment. This is just the way I have decided to have the characters start to connect and develop. **

**Thanks again. Oh, and thanks Mom. You always know what to say, and you are always so supportive in whatever I do. I am glad we can share this. Love you. **

"_This is Beth Turner again from Buzzwire. I'm still traveling with Mick St. John, Josef, and Katherine, all vampires. We are currently heading towards a stronghold of Katherine's in Florida. I have been told that the location of her allies is just outside of Miami. Katherine, can you tell us what we might find ourselves involved in the next few days?"_

"_Well, Beth, we will be in considerable danger. We will be fighting a maniacal, dangerous, and ancient society. You know, Beth I think you have to worry more than anyone else here."_

"_Oh really Katherine? Can you tell me why?"_

"_Sure. Well you see these teeth here, Beth? These babies are what I use when I have a craving. Mick and Josef come here. Show her your fangs too."_

"_Craving? Craving what…….? Oh no!! Please no! I don't want to die. My neck, ahhhhhh!!!!" _

"Beth!" She woke with a start to see Mick next to her shaking her awake.

"Hey are you okay?" Mick said with concern on his face. She took a moment to sit up and look around realizing where she was again. She rubbed her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry I was having a nightmare." Mick sat back.

"Yeah, you kept talking out loud as if you were being attacked." Beth's eyes went big with embarrassment.

"What did you hear?" She said almost accusing. It was not his fault that he had overheard her nightmare, but she was afraid that he might take it personally. After all they just had a conversation about what Mick thought about himself. Her nightmare would not improve his idea.

"Nothing, it was like NO! And then you would mumble." Beth was overwhelmed with relief and almost did not hear what Mick said next. "Are you sure that you are okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine….." She did not get to finish her sentence because they both suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the back of the plane.

"What was that?" She said looking towards the bathroom. Mick smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, our friends are getting acquainted with each other again." Beth's mouth gaped with shock. She then gave an embarrassed smile.

"You mean….You mean they are doing it." Beth felt like a twelve year old talking about sex, but she could not imagine what would have possessed them to start having sex on the plane in the bathroom.

"Yeah, I guess they really wanted to join the Mile High Club." Mick joked. Beth laughed out loud and then she heard a quiet moan. She suspected that sound had belonged to Katherine.

"Oh yeah, you think you hear that….imagine vampire hearing." Mick said making a disgusted face. Beth pressed her lips together and concealed a giggle.

"Wow, this just keeps getting weirder and weirder." Beth said finally sitting back. She looked over to Mick. He glanced over to her and smiled softly, but then they heard another moan and he had to look away. Beth had to cover her mouth to not lose herself in a laughing fit. She was not sure which nightmare had been worse; the one she was enduring now or the one she woke from. Mick seemed to be turning red, but then she was unsure if vampires could color with humiliation. She wasn't really sure about anything anymore, especially when it came to the vampire factor. In truth there was a great deal she still had to learn about this man, considering she had kissed him and offered herself to him twice; once to save his life and the other to become like him.

Beth felt herself sobering up. No matter what sex-capades were going on at the back of the plane, she still could not let go that they were entering a more than serious situation. She and Mick seemed to be the only one to recognize that though. Maybe Josef and Katherine had done this so many times that they thought of it like an adventure together. Obviously they needed to be up close and personal to conduct said adventure, but then they had nothing to worry about. They were immortal, Katherine doubly so. She didn't know many people who could claim to be a vampire and therefore immortal, and then on top of that she could only be killed by one vampire. Yeah, that seemed like a pretty sweet deal to her.

"Sir." A voice buzzed over the intercom in Josef's chair. Mick leaned over.

"Uh, he's a little busy right now. Can I help you?" Beth smiled at the sarcasm Mick's answer had been dripping with.

"I just wanted to inform him that we are dropping altitude in preparation of landing. It is advised that everyone take their seats. Thank you." The pilot answered.

"Okay, thanks." Mick sat back. Beth looked to the bathroom and then to Mick who sat calmly looking ahead.

"Uh, aren't you going to warn them?" Beth asked pointing to the back of the plane.

"What and ruin their fun?" He said once more in sarcasm. "Anyway, they will know soon enough." Mick smiled as Beth looked to him confused. Within a few minutes, Beth began to feel the plane drop to one altitude to another. It was like a small roller coaster. Mick chuckled.

"What?" Beth asked smiling.

"You'll see." He said smiling back to her. It was then that Beth heard what Mick had obviously been waiting for.

"DAMNMIT!!" They heard a yell from back of the plane. It sounded like Josef. Mick laughed out loud as he folded his legs over another and crossed his arms quite satisfied.

"You see with a small plane like this, you really feel when the altitude drops especially if you aren't in the middle. It's all about balance, which I guess he just lost." He turned to Beth explaining. Beth laughed and shook her head.

"Is that why you didn't say anything to warn them?"

"Pretty much. He deserved it anyway." Beth looked at this person, this vampire smiling ahead. In that moment she wished he was exactly what he wanted to be, whatever that was. She had an idea he wanted to be human. She did not see why someone would want that since he had what most human's desire, immortality. He would avoid the cold grip of death as each human learn dread with age. You cannot move forward without knowing you are moving towards the end of your life in the end. She knew how that felt. The idea that she had wasted so much time and fear of her own death, seemed like such an empty potential she could have used for a better cause.

They heard Josef and Katherine exit out of the bathroom. She said nothing and sat in her seat. When Beth looked back she could see that she looked as bit disheveled if not flustered. Josef looked calm and collected. He sat in his seat once more and smiled over to Mick, who wore a disapproving look on his face.

"So what's going on?" He asked cheerfully. Beth rolled her eyes, and could not help having the thought that every male was the same. Sex really could put them in a good mood at anytime and apparently at any place.

"We're about to land pretty soon." Mick said in a level tone.

"Oh good! I think I have had enough of flying. These things are always so unstable. How I miss the days of trains!" Josef said looking back to Katherine. She shook her head.

"No, they still sucked too." She commented and looked out the window to see the plane descending. Josef smiled.

"I thought they were incredibly private." His smiled grew with lustful wickedness.

"Oh really? You enjoy privacy that much? I have always thought of you as little bit of exhibitionist." Mick shot back.

"Well, we all have our faults, don't we?" Josef replied once more interested more into his magazines.

When they landed they were whisked into a limo that Josef had arranged. There were little words exchanged as the car started to move towards its destination. Katherine was quiet, and looked into the night with a pensive glare. Beth found herself becoming very curious of her thoughts. She would be the director of this show, and she wondered what the next step was. Fortunately, Mick had more courage and simmering impatience to ask the question that was on everyone's mind.

"So what are we doing here? Who are we supposed to meet?" Mick asked looking out the window. He could see the lights of the city on the horizon. The limo seemed to know exactly where it was going. He wanted the same courtesy. Katherine looked over to him. She sat by Josef and Mick sat by Beth. She looked over to Beth then. It was as if she could read that Beth was thinking the same thing.

"I have some friends here that can help." Katherine replied simply. Mick sighed with frustration.

"Yeah, I got that. What would they be helping with? I mean what are we helping with? I understand what the main goal is here, but I have not really heard a plan." Mick said with passionate irritation. Josef smiled at his friend, and gave a small chuckle.

"Well, Mick there isn't a plan." Mick stared at them both like he had met the village idiots.

"Well, not yet anyway." Josef corrected himself. He just enjoyed bringing his friend's reaction out.

"What he means to say is that we are unsure of how many will be able to help….so it is stupid to lay out a complete plan yet." Katherine corrected Josef. He turned back to Mick annoyed.

"What do you need a plan for? We're going to kill all of them!" Josef exclaimed.

"Not all of them!" Katherine said. Mick and Beth looked confused at each other and then back to Josef and Katherine.

"Well, can we get a straight answer or are we on a need to know basis? Because I don't mean to be rude, but if we are going to help we are going to need a plan of some sort." Beth said. She thought she had questioned them rather bravely. It did not hurt that Mick was on her side, not only in the car but also in idea.

"Don't worry I do have a plan, but it is not some "storm the place; we're done in a night" kind of plan. I need to know who is still with me and the talents from them that I can use. For instance, Josef told me that you are TV reporter." Katherine pointed to Beth. The human could not help the quickening of her heart when she began to realize that she was really going to be used in this coup.

"Yes." Beth said meekly. She felt as if all her courage had been stripped off of her and then sold cheaply.

"We will need information," Katherine continued, "And I know you know how to find facts quickly. These people are not stuck in the dark ages. They have evolved just like the rest of the world. They have technology that is the best of the best. They have money dripping out of their ears. They will have resources that I cannot even match. I will need to meet with my people, and see what the new updates are. We will need to formulate a plan to infiltrate them and know their strength. On top of that we need to make sure we have enough people and power to attack them if need be. Like I said, I can't pour out a plan to you just yet." Katherine finished. Beth scooted forward in her seat.

"You said that you need to get the new updates. Why don't you know that already?" Beth asked. She felt more of that journalist spirit come back with some of her bravery.

"I haven't been able to be in contact with my group for about 2 months. I have been on the run from that tracker. Like I said, they have resources you cannot even imagine, and I was on the run for a long time. I had to basically go into hiding. I have had no contact with anyone for long time. I don't risk calling them or trying to contact them other than by face to face." Katherine seemed to grow weary talking about their situation. She seemed to be over burdened with stress. _No wonder she had to have a quickie, thought Beth._

"I don't understand…why would not be able to call them? I mean it is not like the Bourne Identity, and the government is after you. Surely they cannot track everything that you do." Beth commented, but as she finished her last words she could see Josef and Katherine roll their eyes as if they had been trying to explain something to a slow child.

"Apparently, you were not listening when I was holding Bloodline 101. They are the government. They have infiltrated and seized some about of power in every level of government and social structure. So yeah, you could call me Jason Bourne if you want to." Katherine proved that her sarcasm talent was better than Beth had imagined. Beth could not form words to combat her, and she found herself staring dumbly.

The danger seemed to be mounting by the hour, and they hadn't really done anything. Beth rubbed her hands together and found that they were sweating. If only she was like them. She could have coolly answered back. She could have the confidence and fearlessness that Katherine blasted into every word and look. A part of Beth wished that she had brought some of the Black Crystal. Maybe then she would feel more up to the task, and perhaps the equal of the ones that surrounded her. It was amazing how small and vulnerable she felt with them. They would have to protect her. She felt a mixture of humiliation, anger, frustration, and fear boiling in her stomach. She hated feeling weak, but she would never admit it or purposely show it any of them. Beth swallowed her emotional cocktail and stored it deep inside of her. She would have to worry about those emotions later. Mick looked at her as if he had seen what had been brewing inside of her. Maybe he understood. He was the second youngest in the limo.

The vehicle stopped. Mick looked out side to what looked like an empty lot across the street from Biscayne Bay. He could see the city of Miami lit against the sky to the north and east.

"We're here." Katherine said as she opened to door to get out.

"What do you mean? It's an empty lot. Where's here?" Mick said exasperated. It was a run down industrious street, and the lot had a chain link fence around it and wild grass sprouting two to three feet everywhere. Katherine exited without answering and Josef soon followed. Mick looked at Beth.

"Why do I have a feeling we just stuck a foot into something really strange." Beth scoffed at what he said.

"You're getting that feeling just now?" She asked leaving the car as well with Mick following her. They could hear Josef from outside the car.

"Come on kids! We haven't got all day." When he saw them emerge from the car he laughed and smiled at Mick. "Wow, man! When was it last that you spent some time with a woman in the back seat of a car?" Josef smiled wider when he saw Beth's cheeks flush and Mick's teeth grit at his friend's obnoxiousness. "You know, not the classiest, but hey you've been celibate long enough." Beth jumped to defend Mick.

"Well at least he doesn't lack so much class to join the Mile High club mid-flight to only have it ruined by his lack of balance." Beth put herself in between Mick and Josef and spoke lower. "It doesn't speak well of your stamina, you know." Katherine laughed out loud and turned to walk towards the lot. Mick smiled wide when Beth looked back to him. She gave a small smirk to Josef and then trailed Katherine. Mick hit his friend in the shoulder for the second time that night, and then joined the girls. Josef was left alone with his only comment back.

"Touché." He said bitterly.


	7. Showoff

_**I am sorry that I have not updated as quickly as before. I have just started an activist group for in my community and have been hard at work for our first event. If you would like to find out more you can go to Save Darfur . org and my group's name is Stop Making Excuses!! Save Darfur!!**_

_**Thank you everyone again. I wanted to provide a song list that I listen to when I write this story. If you want to listen to the songs it might give you more insight in the feeling of this story. I add constantly to my play list and currently it has 45 songs, which is about 2 ½ hours of music. Here are some songs (I hope this format came out right):**_

_**Song**__** Artist**_

_**1. Werewolf (Cat power)**_

_**2. Free Fallin' (Tom Petty) **_

_**3. Medication (Garbage)**_

_**4. My Invitations (Sarah Slean) **_

_**5. My Heart Can't Tell You No (Rod Stewart)**_

_**6. Company (Third Eyed Blind)**_

_**7. Slow Like Honey (Fiona Apple) **_

_**8. Silence (Delerium & Sarah Mclaughlin) **_

_**9. Nothing Compares to You (Sinead O' Connor) **_

_**10. Troubled Waters (Cat Power) **_

_**Thanks again**_

Katherine moved towards the chain link fence that surrounded the lot. She casually lifted part of the fence, and motioned Beth to come through. When Beth entered she saw lazy desolation. Always aware that vampires often have some card up their sleeve filled with surprise, she still could not understand how this was a safe place to meet hunted followers, especially with their leader now out in the open. As Beth mused over this thought the rest of the group were led through.

Beth did not have to wait long for the answer to her thoughts. Katherine went to the middle of the lot. She looked around her for a solid minute, and then looked to Beth like she smelled the air around her. Katherine turned to Mick.

"When were you turned? The fifties?" She surprised Mick. Mick shifted on his feet.

"Yeah, so?" He said with a close to defensive tone. Katherine smirked and shook her head.

"Oh, nothing. You just smell like them. I bet you still use the same cologne." Beth felt like it was a barb towards Mick, but said nothing. Mick stayed silent as well. Beth saw him trying not to be obvious as he tried to smell himself.

_Perhaps you can hurt a vampire_ _by telling him he smells bad, Beth thought_. She kept the joke to herself. But then she never thought he smelled bad. In fact it was quiet the opposite.

Finally, Katherine appeared to feel secure to enter the lair. She found a handle somewhere hidden in the sand. She lifted an opening and climbed inside. Josef followed immediately. Apparently, he felt very comfortable following Katherine, but then again he had known her for over 200 years. Mick allowed Beth to climb in next. When he finally was at the end of the ladder that led down to another door he wondered how they were able to be so deep in the ground. They were at least 6 feet under. It was common knowledge that Miami was barely 3 feet above sea level. You don't go to Florida looking for basements.

"We had to pour concrete to secure it." Katherine answered the questions in Mick's thoughts. He looked at her with wide eyes.

"Sorry. I could feel your concern." She tried to apologize. He did not realize that he would be so concerned that she had felt him. Beth looked back to Mick and then Katherine. She was unsure what had just transpired, but she understood how Mick would feel uncomfortable. She saw Katherine look at her as well. She wondered if she could feel her emotions too.

"Well, I'll tell you what. You don't feel them, and then we won't have a problem." Mick said in an annoyed tone. It must have been very unnerving to be so open to person with giving them that permission, and on top of that only knowing them for a matter of hours. Katherine sighed roughly and turned to the door once more.

"It's not my fault you're so damned emotional." She commented under breath, though she knew that at least the vampires with her could hear it. She placed her hand on what looked like a scanner. A green light filled the space, which was small. Beth guessed that it only could be 6 feet by 6 feet. She did not notice the door that led them down to the room which was now closing itself. She did not realize it until the door thumped loudly, at which time she cowered against Mick at the sound. Mick did not complain, and even took the opportunity to put his arm around her. The room had turned dark with the door closed. All the light that was emitted was the green scanner. Beth could not see in the now dark room the small smile Mick had on his face.

When Katherine was fully scanned by the computer, the door opened. Behind the door, Beth could see a man holding a gun to his side. Katherine smiled and patted him on the back.

"Hello Julius!"

"Hello, Katherine." He said quietly. She stood beside him and she pointed to the rest of the group.

"I have brought some friends. Make sure to search them all." She paused a moment as a wicked thought entered her mind. "Especially, that one." She pointed directly to Josef. It was almost like she was at a pet store trying to pick out the best dog. Josef made a face to her that assured her that she would be receiving the compliment back. Beth felt betrayed. Why did they now have to be searched? Did they not just fly across the country with this woman?

"What do you mean search?" Beth said out loud, not hiding her surprise. Katherine smiled at her. Beth guessed it was some ploy to try and calm her, but since this person (vampire….what ever the hell she was) was so unknown to her on a multitude of levels, the smile came across as if she were to enjoy the humiliation that was soon to follow. Sure Beth had been searched before at airports and such, but she wasn't trying to help those people defeat a maniacal secret society either.

"Don't worry guys. It is just procedure. We have to do it with everyone. Better safe than sorry." Beth felt like she was being talked to like she was a child with a reassuring mother. It did not help her impression though.

"Well, let's get it over with than." Mick said stepping forward. Beth followed. Another man came from behind Katherine and Julius. He came to Mick.

"Do you have any electronic equipment with you? Cell phone? Anything like that?" He sounded very gruff to Beth and she could not help the unsettled feeling that was creeping up from her stomach. If they were taking all there cell phones how would she be able to call for help? She watched as Mick handed over his phone. He looked back to Beth. He could read her thoughts and fears on her face. He tried to smile to show her that he was here. She seemed to relax a little bit. He was then patted down and told to move off. Beth could see that Josef was being patted down as well. She saw the man come toward her and she could not help but flinch and back away. The man stood still.

"Its alright….I am only go to check you." He tried to sound safer than he looked. She nodded her head no and looked over to Mick. He stepped forward and stood beside her.

"I'm here okay. He won't do anything if he wanted to. I'm right here." She looked up to him and pressed her lips together trying to find that brave vein she was tapping into earlier. She nodded her head up and down. She knew that Mick would protect her, and she did trust him. He took a hold of her hand.

"Go ahead." Mick nodded to the man. Mick knew that this man was a vampire. In fact the two gentlemen that were now in the chamber bathed with green light were both vampires. He thought it wise to keep that from Beth. She was already uneasy. Mick could not help his feeling of nervousness either, but he trusted Josef and he knew he would dig out of a bad situation with his bare hands if he had to, especially with Beth around.

Finally, the search was over and the whole party moved though the tunnel. Beth stayed very close to Mick. The tunnel was only lit with two lines of faint lights from up above. She had heard of tunnels like these. Drug runners used them in Florida for years. She felt her self relax thinking of the story she had read on the internet a few years ago. It helped her stop thinking about the story that was unfolding before her. A story she could never tell, and no one would believe if she tried.

The two vampires that had searched the group were now at the head of the party traveling down the dark tunnel. Katherine was behind them, with Josef behind her. Mick and Beth brought up the back with Beth clinging on to him. Mick now felt guilty feeling happy that she was so close. He knew how afraid she must be. This was exactly what he wanted to spare her. The vampires at the head of the line opened a door and a bright white light blasted into the tunnel. Katherine entered in as they held the door and started climbing the stairs the room held.

"Where are we going Mick?" Beth whispered. He paused and looked at her before they went up the stairs.

"I don't know." He honestly stated. He gripped her hand that was clenching his arm and held it. "I'm right here though."

They went up about three flights of stairs. Katherine then stood before a steel door and once more put her hand on a panel and allowed her eye to be scanned. The door opened with a loud thump as if it was magnetized. The room was nicely decorated and even looked as if it was an office. Beth felt confused as she entered. How had they gone from stairs, to tunnel, to nice office building in minutes? Katherine turned to them.

"You see, there is not entrance into this part of the building. Technically, we are in the middle of the building. You will notice that there are no windows, partly for protection, and partly because my staff really can't look out of them for 12 hours a day. We are protected by hurricane, bomb, fire, and bullet. You are the safest you have ever been in this building." Katherine assured them. Beth could not help but find a quip in her head though.

_Sure, safe until one of you gets hungry_, she thought as she held one hand onto her neck.

"Welcome to my sometimes home." She smiled as she spread her arms open as if presenting it.

"Yeah, but why Florida? It's not like we can get a tan." Mick said looking around. He could smell the place reeking in decay of vampires. There were so many scents of them that he could hardly single them out.

"Well, you can't but I can." She said and turned down the main hallway. "Come with me and we can start some work." Mick and Josef looked at each other.

"I know. She's a bitch of a showoff." Josef said before he followed her.


	8. Interview with the Vampire Part 1

Her office was bathed in red. Beth could not help but feel a little uncomfortable with the color suddenly, mostly because it related to the precious fluid that flowed through her desirable veins at the moment. Fear was evident on Beth and Mick once more settled his hand on her back to comfort her.

The room was enormous, but then it would have to be since there were no windows. Mick and Beth had the same simultaneous thoughts that they shared with a look to each other. Both could not imagine being in a room with no light, no way of seeing out into the world. Even though sunlight was damaging to Mick now, he still could not imagine not seeing it, breathing fresh air or seeing the night sky at least. He still held onto the human element.

Josef was of course unaffected. He wandered the room looking over the ancient artifacts, the different decorations, and the many paintings she had hanging. There were even some paintings leaned against the wall, as if there were not enough room for her desire to see such beautiful creations. Josef stopped at one wall and scoffed.

"You own an Andy Warhol? You have got to be kidding me!!" He said pointing to it accusingly with a face a fresh disgust. Katherine was at her desk sorting through different papers. She looked up from her task.

"What? I knew him!" She spat back him. "You wouldn't understand anyway. You try to be hip, but everyone can smell how old you are." She sat down in her chair behind the desk.

"Oh yes, you did know him. I heard you spent time in "The Factory". And of course I smell of decay, that's how we identify each other. I can't help what I am." Josef smiled said approaching in front of the desk.

"Yes, but you have that special rancid scent that registers with us all how culturally inept you really are." She said with a sly smile. He lifted his hands in surrender. And then commented under his breath,

"Yes, very hip in bad taste." He continued to wander the room, picking random things up to inspect.

"Is there really no windows here?" Beth asked. Katherine could sense an immense anxiety radiating off of her. She could only guess that she was claustrophobic, or perhaps overly stressed. But she could also sense a deep fear…of capture. Katherine could not understand the feeling, but something pointed to a very early and poignant event that would cause such a reaction.

"Yeah, no windows." Josef brushed Beth off easily. "Meanwhile, I am starving. Is there a bank here of the blood variety, preferably in willing volunteers of the young and beauty nature? Oh and female as well. You have no idea how many times I have gotten the wrong order on that one." Josef smiled, but no one was really paying attention to him. Mick moved to Beth, but Katherine was already next to her. She almost looked sympathetic to Beth.

"I can take you to an entrance only I use. It goes to the roof." Katherine started to move towards a wall and laid her hand on it for a mere second and it opened a hidden door. Mick started to move with Beth but Katherine stopped him.

"I can take her. Go with Josef down the hall and you can be fed." Katherine said to him. Mick stayed and looked at Beth for what to do. "I know you are hungry." Still he did not move.

"I promise she will be safe with me." Beth had not a very good talent with trust but when she looked at Katherine she felt deep sincerity.

"I'll be fine." Beth turned to Mick to reassure him. He still stayed for a long moment and extended his hand out.

"Are you sure?" He said, still willing to accompany her. Beth gave a small smile and nodded. She followed Katherine through the door and into an elevator. She turned around to see the doors close on Mick. She still felt safe, she thought. She was willing herself to feel safe she supposed.

"So you are a reporter?" Katherine asked when the silence started to weigh heavy. Beth nodded voraciously.

"Yes, but I am not going to write about this….I mean no worries, I would never…" Beth stammered.

"Relax, Beth. I was just trying to make conversation." Katherine cut her off. "I just don't want you freaking out okay?" She said turning to her.

"Okay, okay." She said nervously. Another bout of silence and Katherine once more tried.

"So, where you from? I don't know many people who are from LA originally." Katherine said casually. The elevator finally reached the top floor and the door opened. Beth laughed still feeling edgy.

"Yeah, well I am one of the few, born and bred." She said trying her best to be normal. The walked out onto a hallway and the view opened up to a small room with nothing but glass windows for walls. There were four reclining chairs all facing the city of Miami in the dark.

"Wow, it is really beautiful up here." She said as she sat down. Katherine walked to the window and stood before it crossing her arms.

"Yeah, I rather like open spaces. Unfortunately, most of my friends can't enjoy it as much as I do." She said trying to joke. Beth smiled.

"It must be hard." Beth said out loud. It was a thought she was running on, but had not meant to run out of her mouth. Katherine turned to her.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Beth fidgeted, but then decided to go for it.

"Well your life. I mean Mick tells me stuff about his, and how much he really hates to be what he is, and then not have family or to lose people you love. And I am guessing that it must be pretty lonely, especially for you. I mean you are so important." Beth finished. She felt as if she was courting a hard interview. She was interested in who Katherine was exactly, she could not help turning on the journalist switch in order to do so. Katherine looked out for a long while on the city, but Beth still waited.

"Yeah…it's hard." She said finally. She sat down but did not uncross her arms. She looked so guarded.

"Do you have any family left? Your father?" Beth was venturing into dangerous territory and she knew it.

"No, he is gone. He has been gone for awhile." She said thinking on her father sadly. It was strange but Beth could feel the sadness. It was very deep and still very sharp. It surprised her. "I don't really talk about that though." She said firmly. Beth nodded. She waited a few moments to ask her next question.

"So I don't understand. Did you have to be turned? Or were like this from the beginning?" Beth asked intently. Katherine laughed.

"Like this? Wow sounds real monster like there Beth!" She turned to her. Beth reeled back.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to offend. I was just curious though. I'm sorry." Then there was silence. Katherine felt her, knew that was true. She relented.

"No I did not have to be turned." She broke the silence. Beth looked to her. "I was always like this." They both watched the sky once more, but Beth still had more questions. Katherine looked over several times to her, but Beth tried her best to control herself from asking the questions swirling inside of her.

"What else do you want to know?" Katherine finally allowed. Beth smiled back at her.

"Have you ever turned someone?" Beth asked innocently. It seemed like a strange thing to ask when it left her mouth, but then she had to account for the company that she kept.

"What? Interested?" She shocked Beth into silence. "I was joking, Beth." She smiled at her.

"Well, have you?" She asked again.

Katherine looked out to the night sky and seemed to cease breathing. Maybe Beth had hit too close to home. Katherine nodded lightly.

"Only one." She said looked down and then to Beth. "Only one." She repeated.

She could feel the past envelop her in the memories of their first meetings. She could still remember their first meeting.

It was the year of 1643 in Paris, France. The air was alive in renaissance and enlightenment, but not as free as the rest of the world. The King Louis VII having just died though brought hope for more freedom of religion and maybe more.

Katherine was still very young and traveling with her father and their extensive household. Being vampires inspired changing locations to become more than a necessity of routine, it was a matter of life and death. The myths and sordid stories that coursed through the general public's mind perpetuated such paranoia of anything suspicious.

She was of marrying age at twenty-two years, but she claimed to be too dedicated to her father to leave him for the life of marriage. People would often assume which father she spoke of, either her heavenly one or biological one. She let them create the story in their minds. They had only been in Paris for a few months, staying with many members of the Bloodline that eagerly accepted them into their houses. Katherine felt like royalty, and in this world, she truly was.

That evening of spring warmth found them in the house of Luke Colbert. The head of the house was a vampire, as was his wife. Turned after having children, they promised to raise them to a proper age and then turn them for the cause. Katherine had no intention of developing a relationship with such people. Not only had she been disturbed to be in the same house as human children as young as four, which was beyond pardonable with constant crying especially at night, but the family were obsessed with her every movement. She had learned to not appreciate those most interested in her legend then herself.

The family had arranged a party to welcome the father and daughter, inviting vampires and humans alike. The vampires of the party had been instructed to leave the guests of the party alone. They would be rewarded with many desirable and expendable treats after the human guests had left.

Although she was one of the guests of honor, she found herself often relishing in finding spots of empty silence as she wondered the many rooms and galleries of the house. She had been fighting a lonely heart, but she was unsure what she was lonesome for. She could not name it in her chest as it swelled with such intense feeling. She sat in a parlor on an empty couch and watched as the many guest conversed, played games and devoured the many platters of food. She smoothed her dress out. A lovely pattern of white with scarlet roses danced under her fingers as she admired the fabric. It was then that her thoughts were broken.

"Madam Katherine, if you will allow me to burden you with a most glorious introduction, if I may?" Luke Colbert practically groveled before her. She tilted her head to allow it. He moved aside to reveal a tall man with the most striking blue eyes she had ever seen. She admired him immediately and rose and extended her hand. He gave a crooked smile and kissed her hand with a bow. Her attraction rose as she scanned him. His dark hair highlighted his bright ivory skin, and giving such beautiful contrast to his blue eyes. His figure was sturdy and athletic, his outfit dark and obviously foreign from the French. She smiled back to him.

"This is Monsieur Louis Joyce of Ireland." Luke finally announced. Katherine's interest piqued when she heard of the country.

"You are from Ireland, sir?" She asked in French. He nodded.

"Yes, madam." He repeated back. She stifled a chuckle to hear his accent very evident in his French. "Well, I did try." He finally allowed in English.

"Yes." She said mercifully. It was then that she realized he was human. She could smell the fresh blood streaming through his veins. She looked down and then to the side. She felt her heart quicken. She could not bring him into her world. She was sure of it. She had never had relationship with a human besides having to feed on one. She bit her lip and extended her hand once more.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, sir." He gave a look of confusion and then bowed once more to kiss her hand. He held her hand a second longer than was proper and she took it away from him. "Excuse me." She left the men confused and the host excusing for such behavior.

She found herself outside in the garden. Something had wakened in her when she met eyes with that man. She was not sure what it was, but she had an idea of lust. She had known blood lust in her life. She did not have to feed as often as her father had too, only two to three times in year, but when she felt the blood lust it was the most intense urge she had ever felt. She had fed on humans. She could still smell the sheer terror, horror, and pain of the victim. She could still feel them trying to struggle from her grip, and then finally as their body slowly gave up and grew tired and cold.

When she was in the blood lust she could not see these things. She saw the blood, the flesh. She could only feel her affliction and her need. It was later when she could not rationalize the draining. It was later when she felt her self become guilty. Perhaps it was the fact she was half human, not previously human. Maybe the turned vampires learned to deal with such things. Maybe they had fewer qualms about taking life to give it to themselves. She had wasted hours trying to find a balance, and was hard pressed to. She was encouraged by her father to feed till she drained her victims as an act of compassionate mercy. He had told her that no human should live with such a memory.

She remembered the first human she did not drain. She lifted her mouth away from her neck long before her desire was sated. She breathed heavy with the need still in her to feed. She could hear the girl give a weak scream under her gag. Katherine knew what she must have looked like. Her face pale, her eyes ice, her mouth dripping with this girl's blood; she was a monster. She quickly untied the girl's binds and lifted her gag. The girl stayed silent, perhaps in fear or shock, Katherine could smell and feel both. She could not release her vampire form, and found her self trying desperately to control herself.

"Run." She heaved deep breaths. "Run as fast you can home, don't look back." The girl sat up gripping her hand to her neck. Katherine could see the blood trickling down her hands and onto the dress. She licked her lips still finding the blood there, but now cold. It awoke a need of warmth in her once more. She looked away and growled deep.

"Go!" She barked. The girl jumped to her feet and ran.

"Hello." She heard behind her. She looked forward. She could already easily identify Louis. She breathed heavy still caught in the memory.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to disturb you." His soft accent drifted in the heat. She turned smiling with her party face, a perfect mask of property and perfect social manners.

"Not at all, Sir Joyce." She replied with lacking cheer than she meant to. Something was broke inside of her and she was unsure what it was and why it restricted her so. She looked down.

"Are you alright?" He asked approaching closer. She backed from him a step.

"Yes." She smiled brightly. "I am well. The air is just thick with warmth. I fear I have forgotten I am dressed for a party not a walk in the garden." She tried to be humorous.

He smiled and nodded.

"Do you wish to return? I would be happy to escort you back." He offered sincerely. She looked at the house. She could hear the people, so many people. She felt anxiety grip her at the idea of being at the mercy of such a crowd once more.

"Yeah, I don't want to go back either." Louis smiled and stepped forward once more, she did not back away this time. She felt the breeze on her. The feeling was such a relief from the heat of the night, and the heat she felt inside of herself.

"Would a walk be desirable to you, milady?" He offered his arm as he arranged himself beside her.

"It is the middle of the night." She stated flustered as his proximity.

"Personally I prefer such excursions in the night instead in the light of day. I think the world is much more inviting then." She allowed him to take a hold of her hand and wrap it in his arm. They started forward in the garden. It set before them many lanes of trees and flower trails. The moon lit their path, but darkness was still so much deeper. She could not understand the strange sensation that overcame her in this man's presence. She had to count her steps to try and regain control of thoughts.

"How do you know the Colberts?" She asked out to make conversation. She would very much like to know who this man was. Her emotions were out of control and she was afraid that she was projecting them on Louis. She tried to read him, but was discouraged that she could feel no response from him.

"I have not known them long. I was in town….looking for a certain group to find friends." He replied looking over to her. She tilted her eyebrow.

"A certain group of friends?" She asked. Did he know what they were? Did he understand what considerable danger he was courting? Did he understand that he walked now in a garden lane with a creature that would certain overcome and kill him in minutes? A certain group? What could that mean?

"Well, every Irish gentleman likes to acquaint himself with proper society so far from home." He said quickly. She could not be reassured and felt her self grow weary in this melting pot of worry and attraction. "I understand you are away from home yourself. Not so very far away from me own home." He smiled at her.

"Yes, I live in England. My father and I travel extensively though." She said breaking herself from the embrace of his arm to admire a flower on the hedge. It was an excuse to lessen the grip on her. The lust she felt had not decreased and she found her self swimming in ideas and longings. She held the bud in her hand softly, a delicate rose of white.

"And how do you know the Colberts?" He asked holding his hands behind him. In the moonlight she could see him clearly. His face was so familiar to her, but yet incredibly interesting and alluring. He was appealing in many ways, but when he smiled she could not deny him most irresistible.

"Well, every English lady likes to acquaint herself with proper society so far from home." She quipped back to him with a sly smile. He chuckled and kept smiling long into the moment. He then looked serious.

"You are very beautiful, milady." He almost sighed out. She considered what he said most sincere, but a sound in her head alarmed her. Who was this man? What was he doing here?

"Thank you, sir." She walked away from the flower and down the lane. "I would comment on your physical qualities, but unfortunately present propriety limits me to my compliments to you, good sir. I would loathe to be thought a flirt." She said sitting on a bench under an enormous willow tree. He followed and sat next to her.

"Besides, darkness does cover so many flaws. I fear that my lord might think himself in a dream. I cannot fulfill such fantasies of beauty then." He looked at her intently. She feared he had been offended, or had no humor to share. She was startled when she suddenly felt his hand on her cheek. He gently ran his fingers down to her jaw enjoying the softness of her skin. She felt like his hands were on fire, the sensation she felt caused her to feel unhinged and vulnerable. He let his hand fall away from her. Even though the act in normal society would have cued Katherine to seek her chaperone, she was not normal. She had no rules or limitations. She was free to do as she wished. She could take this man in what ever way she wanted, but she didn't. In some way, with this man…she wanted to be taken.

"You are not a dream." He whispered. She felt a deep intimacy in his voice so low. She could not imagine the path she would take at the moment. She could not have an idea of eternity and how her dreams would come true, but then so would her nightmares. She did not know the betrayals and the protections. She only knew his eyes, ice blue. The most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. She only knew his touch, the fire that bred such a deep connection. She only knew this moment, and she was happy in it.


	9. Interview with the Vampire Part 2

"Wow, you guys had some intense chemistry!" Beth commented after hearing Katherine describe her first meeting with the only person she had ever turned into a vampire. Katherine shook her head up and down.

"Yes." She said and sighed. "Yes, we really did. It was something I have never felt before and will never feel again." Beth could not tell, but she almost looked mournful.

"Why is that? First time you fall in love is the best time?" Beth asked with a smile. Katherine gave a sarcastic chuckled.

"You could say that. However, I am not sure that would be excuse in my case. First betrayal is always remembered more clearly than mere love. I knew there was a reason he came into my life. I could not let myself believe that he simply found me attractive or interesting, but he made me believe that. He had some motive. Of course…I was right." Katherine could remember every moment with Louis as if it was a testament forever seared in her mind.

"I don't understand, sir. Why are you not home? There is a civil war waging. Just in March there was the Battle of New Ross fought in Ireland. Why are you not there?" She asked as they walked through the garden. Louis Joyce had found time everyday after the party to visit the Colberts. Her Father at the first calling asked his daughter what the meaning of it was. She simply replied that he caught her fancy, an innocent distraction. He reminded her bitterly that he was a human, and she was a vampire, but not just any vampire. She had a great more to hide than the average vampire did. She was one of the most powerful vampires, not from simple strength, cleverness, or age. She had human traits that her father could never dream of using again. She walked this moment through the garden in the middle of the day. She had all the vampire strengths and almost none of the weaknesses, and so there were more reasons to protect her own.

"I could ask the same of you, madam. Why is your Father not participating? Why are you not in England?" Louis challenged her.

"My Father has not a side to choose. He wishes not to be involved. We are rather happy traveling and enjoy being unattached to loyalty or bid for war." The truth is that they had changed their identity and location so many times that they were able to slip in and out of roles as was needed. It was dangerous for them to be political or even loyal to any country or issue. They remained neutral as a matter of protection. Civil wars and wars in general perpetuated paranoia in people, and they began to believe what they saw before them. Such a situation proved too unstable for them.

"That is quite a feat you have surmounted. Pray, why would the King allow so much? Are you highly favored?" He asked with a teasing air, but Katherine felt as if she was involved in an interrogation. Her frustration was becoming harder to hide with simple manners. She paused and placed a fake smile on her lips.

"We do not involve ourselves in Court often, and we are not favored. Perhaps he has heard of my beauty and charm and thinks it cruel to leave me in the world fatherless as well as motherless." She then walked away from him proceeding down the lane. He followed close behind her.

"Pray, Master Louis, why are you not involved? Are you highly favored? I fear the King might not adore the beauty of men as he does women." She jested. She ceased walking and turned to confront him. He stopped before her.

"I am a simple Irish man, milady. What hope or skill can I give a King? I am alike with you in my neutrality." He approached her close and held his hand out asking for her own. She offered it and he kissed it.

"It is quite comforting to find one in agreement with my own sentiments and convictions." He smiled at her. She scoffed and laughed at him. She felt a stone drop in her stomach, but could not admit to herself that it could be fear.

This man off balanced her, by his very touch. She had been puzzled until this moment what faint emotional signal he was sending out. She concentrated to read him and found an acute sadness affecting him. Katherine was equally concerned about his sadness as well as her curiosity about it. She should not be caring about this human as she found herself doing. She watched this man holding her hand. His touch had so many stories waiting to be shared and his eyes cried out to tell them. She instantly became overwhelmed with her desire to connect with him, and her instinct for self-preservation.

"Master Louis, I am afraid I have allowed too many intimate acts to pass between us for you believe that you know my entire character. I will never be anything to you but a true mystery. Savor the opportunity to know such a woman who will not give herself completely in hope of affection." She said as she turned on her heel to continue down the lane. She knew she was playing with him. She knew that she could end the relationship at that moment, and end a possible danger to either herself or him. Nevertheless, she continued. She was in some way having fun. She could end the visit but not the relationship. She was not that cold yet.

"Katherine, have I offended you?" He asked as he caught up with her breathless.

"No, sir." She said firmly.

"Then why do you rebuke me?" He asked stepping in front of her to stop her motion. She disliked very much to be held back. She would try to move and he would move in front of her again. Her anger once again overwhelmed her, but he stayed calm. How was she not affecting him?

"I wish to know your motivation, Master Louis. I have allowed this dalliance to continue with you now as you have called for the third time this week for my company. One is not motivated to be in company with a single woman unless an agenda is quite in motion. I demand to know your intentions." She watched Louis for any faltering, but he stood before her most confident. Why could she not intimidate this man? Why was he so insistent?

She had the strange temptation to show him her other face, the face that would send him reeling in fear. However, since her night of mercy towards the girl she fed on, she began to feel guilt or perhaps humiliation in the idea. She wished not to be known as such by this gentleman. She wished to be what he wanted her to be, and the idea was fearful to her. She had never had to change her character in any way for a human. That was ridiculous! He was weaker than she was, and would die in such an undignified manner in a short time compared to her. Why could she not resist the idea of pleasing him? Of being pleased by him?

"Intentions? Is this not a demand usually produced by a father or guardian?" He smiled back at her.

"I am in control of my own life. I do not seek courtship or marriage in any case, my lord." She shot back.

"Then you are a rarity in such times, another contradiction to present tradition and protocol. But then I have not proposed the notion of courtship nor marriage, have I?" He answered back, still with a smug smile. She came close to him with a rage inside of her. He must know. He simply had to know. Why would he be so arrogant? So sure of himself?

"Yes, a rarity I am, a rarity that must ask for this visit to be concluded. I fear perhaps my uniqueness will endanger your proper character, although I find that kind of temptation never to be lost on simple Irish men." She turned quickly and headed to the house.

"Katherine!" He tried to catch her again. "Katherine I was only kidding. There is no need for offense." But she kept walking, ignoring the gentleman. She was flustered with a sure amount of confusion, attraction, and concern. She did not listen to the pleas from the man to come back.

He left the house minutes later leaving her with a sense of calm, but not of peace. No, peace was something she rarely felt, surprisingly it was usually after his visits. Even though he made her blood boil hot with lust as well as with genuine rage, she felt content with him, almost secure. She knew that the feeling was folly. Such personal attachment especially to a human would only bring her hazard for her heart and safety. Even though she had long fights inside of herself to remember such conclusions when she was alone, she lost all of these in the presence of him. It was only a primal voice that reminded her of her power yet vulnerability. She was unable to contain herself though when a letter arrived after sunset.

_My Dearest Katherine, _

_My sincerest apology is in order. I am truly in grief for causing such an offense. I must confess though there is a motivation, an agenda. _

_I wish to be close to you, to learn of your life and circumstances. I know you are not as a traditional woman, I knew that the moment I met you. I find that so very refreshing. _

_If indeed you are not, then please join me for supper tonight at my current lodgings. It is a house outside of the city. I will send my driver to retrieve you at 8 o'clock. _

_I hope to see you, milady. It would gladden my heart immensely. _

_Yours most truly, _

_Louis Joyce_

She left the letter on the desk and quickly dressed. She would meet this man. She was unafraid. What ever he might be, whatever he had against her, he would be no match for her. A swell of youthful pride ran through her, clouding her judgment. What harm could he wield against her? What hurt could he truly inflict? She smiled at the thought.

She waited patiently in her room until she knew his carriage was at her doorstep. She did not wish to explain her soon whereabouts to her father, who she was sure, would disapprove. She exited her room quickly and quietly told her attendant to tell the household she was resting and did not want to be disturbed. She quickly and quietly took the stairs down the foyer to exit the front door. She had her hand upon the knob when she heard his voice.

"I suppose he summons you then." Her father came into view. He crossed his arms and took full inspection of his daughter across the room. He was an intimidating man in his human life, but as a vampire, he could be terrifying. Even though she was stronger than him and more powerful, she still felt a deep need to obey him.

"It is very late you know. Of course you do." He crossed the distance to Katherine. "What are you doing, Katherine?" She scoffed at him, grabbed the knob once more, and opened the door. He quickly intercepted her arm before she could cross the threshold.

"You may be more powerful Katherine, but you can fall just as hard as the rest of us. You know they won't like this, and if you don't stop it they will." Whenever the word "they" was used between Katherine and her father it was understood they spoke of the Bloodline. The society she was to be a head of; that she would change. She made no decisions now, but that was soon to change. She did not enjoy being paraded about as the "miracle of vampires", but at the same time she was unsure of being in charge of a society that she did not believe in. The Bloodline frightened her, and it was a feeling she had not been used to until recently. They controlled the world, and even she was not immune to their wrath.

"He might bring some distracting charm and excitement to you Katherine, but a relationship like this is dangerous." He warned.

"I supposed you would be the authority on dangerous and forbidden relationships with humans. After all, how would I have come about?" She answered back and tried once more to go through the door but he tightened his grip.

"They will not think twice to dispose of one little Irish man, Katherine. You will find him dead…in pieces." She ripped her arm from his grasp and forcefully grabbed the lapel of his coat. She knew she was stronger than he was and she wanted to remind him once more.

"If you touch him or they come near him, I will paint the world with all of your and their blood." She hissed. She pushed him back as she let go of him. The feelings she felt were not completely towards her father. They were towards the Bloodline, but they were not there now to suffer her temper.

"I dare you to align yourself with them, Father. Your loyalty belongs to me totally, or you would do well to join my Mother." The last barb that she shot towards him wounded him more than she had intended and she could feel in its full severity. He stared at her hurt and exposed. He nodded with his shredded dignity evident and left her alone by the door. She stood for several moments regretting her last words to her father, but she did not seek him out to apologize. She did not yet have the humility for that. She wanted to forget, and so she left.

She climbed into the dark carriage and rode alone with the adrenaline buzzing happily in her ear, and she felt the rage she unleashed moments ago surrender to her suppression. She suddenly felt a surge of emotion she had never allowed herself. She supposed that it was the passion from her human side. She had observed mortals trying their best to preserve their present, to savor every drop of life. She had wondered what that might have felt like. She was assured of a long and wealthy life with no end. She had even been severely injured and deathly ill, yet she lived. She had at one time as a teenage became infatuated with her immortality and even on several occasions tried to take her own life. Each time the blood only kept flowing and the poison never took full effect. She was trapped.

In time, she began to accept her fate and even started to enjoy it. To live forever meant power, and no human is more susceptible to the temptation of any power than a woman in Katherine's birth time. She was revered and catered to despite her sex. She was more powerful than any human, and any vampire. She was alone, but she would not suffer from loneliness. She became promiscuous and reckless, but this too would pass. She would calm once more. Then she began to understand the responsibility of her position, and she was trapped once more.

Perhaps Louis made her feel alive as a human, but she knew he made her feel intoxicatingly insignificant. He talked to her the way he liked. He challenged her and taunted her. He touched her without permission and with obvious lust in his eyes. It might have been a game she did not know the rules to, yet still she played. It might even offend or frighten her at times, but it was a game that excited her.

As the carriage pulled outside the city Katherine felt her skin grow hot. She was playing right into him. She felt the tingle of fear. What was she doing? Was it just for a rush? Was it rebellion? Or perhaps suicide? She did not know, and she could not care. She just wanted to be held by him. She wanted him, and she could not understand why. She just wanted to fade into his world, his life if only for a night.

When she finally arrived to the house, her body was shaking. When the doorman came to escort her out of the carriage she hesitated, biting her lip and closing her eyes. This was the last surrender into desperation. She had been questioning who he was, but who was she? What monster was she? How had guilt snuck into her life when the creatures around her practiced none? Anything he was could not match her.

"Katherine?" She looked up. There he was. He reached out his hand for her, and she took it. She could not take her eyes from him.

_What enchantment has he placed on me?_ She thought to herself.

The firm grip of his hand steadied her, but the light in his eyes spun her. She had not noticed her surroundings. She found herself in a private parlor before a fireplace. His eyes bore right into her. She felt herself shake with emotion and could not form a thought. His hand trailed down her face and settled on her neck gently. She breathed heavily. She could not stand his penetrating blue eyes anymore. When she looked down away from them, she could see nothing but the color.

"Why did you ask me here?" She whispered. He lifted her face towards his.

"Why did you come?" He replied. She would have normally had some witty retort to give him but she could not form words. She could only see emotions all inside her and around her. She felt his feelings of melancholy and loneliness as well as her own. She felt the passion from both of them. She suddenly found a sob escaping her and she collapsed. He followed her to the floor as she cried.

"Katherine, it is alright." He whispered as he brought her close and tried to calm her.

"No it isn't." She sobbed. "You don't know what I have done. You don't know who I am." He lifted her face to his.

"I know Katherine. I know." He said with so much sincerity that she wanted to believe it was true. He kissed her gently on the lips and waited for her return of affection to continue. His arms wrapped around her and in the moment, she was human. Passionate. Vulnerable. Mortal. She felt herself dying in some strange way. With this man, she had no rule, but she was not powerless. It was equal terms. When they began to make love, she did not think of consequences or conquest. She did not have an ulterior motive or regret in her mind against her actions with this man.

She would fall asleep with this man with a feeling of contentment. She felt loved and valued for whom she was, instead of what she was. Katherine did not think of the future, or what her attachment to this man would mean. She finally had accomplished what she wished to do, and that was to live in the present.

She woke up beside the fire with him still holding her. She turned over and he smiled happily watching her wake. He kissed her gingerly as if it was their first kiss once again. He traced the curves of her face and body. It was a moment she cherished, and then he made a request.

"I want you to turn me, Katherine."


	10. Admission & Submission

"Do you mean...You mean that he wanted you to turn him into a vampire?" Beth said shocked. She felt as

if the romantic story she was being told had suddenly soured with disappointment in her mouth. "So he was

using you?" Katherine chuckled at little.

"Well, in many ways I was doing the same. He just had a bigger price." She said folding her hands in her lap. Beth sat thinking over the details once more. She searched in this woman, this creature, for the strength that held her up. How could she have been betrayed like that and chuckle about it? Beth could only have one answer, and that was the curse of time. If she could not get over it she would have to live with it for the rest of eternity. She could live longer than a vampire could because of the prophecy. It was like the old childhood term; infinity plus one.

"So I don't understand. Why did he want you to turn him?" Beth asked intent to get to the heart of the story.

"He would tell me that his whole family had been killed by vampires in Ireland. He had known of them his entire life. He said that his country was steeped in legend and vampires were a part of that. It was kind of like those who believe in leprechauns I guess." She chucked again. Beth could not understand why she able to be so casual about it. Surely she must have had some feeling for the man.

"Anyway, legend became reality when a clan of vampires moved into his village." She continued. "He fell in love with a girl among them, and she was like her family...a vampire. He was not able to make a decision whether that mattered to him or not because his father decided to go after her and all vampires. To his father it was like courting the Devil. The problem was...she wasn't alone. His father killed the girl, and then her family killed all of Louis' family. He now felt his duty to take revenge on the vampires." Katherine explained.

"But why would they kill all the family when the father is the one at fault?" Beth was distraught with confusion and horror of the idea of a mass family killing.

"Well in Ireland at the time, they believed that the father's sin is a family's sin. So the whole bloodline had to pay. Louis told me how he found all of them. They had knocked him out and locked him in a room. It took him two days to get free. When he did...the things he told me..."Katherine paused and rubbed her forehead. Beth could see how distressed she was remembering the story now. Beth almost felt relieved to see she had some emotion connected to the subject. "They not only murdered his mother and father, but also went after his little sisters. He said the carnage was beyond any wicked imagining he could fathom. He was fifteen years old."

"Oh my God." Beth said sitting back and mourning people she had never met.

"He had been told many things in Ireland about vampires. He said that he was told by a wise man that only the queen of all vampires could change him to be the strongest of them all." Katherine said with sarcastic smile.

"So he thought only you could turn him?" Beth asked and Katherine nodded to confirm. "So you turned him after he told you all of this?"

"Oh no." Katherine said abruptly. "He had offended me and I could have cared less at the time what had happened to his family."

"Oh." Beth said taken aback by the careless tone in Katherine's voice. It was stronger than the casual tone before. It made Beth suddenly realize that perhaps Katherine was hiding her true feelings from her. It was as if she wasn't just trying to convince Beth but herself.

"No, I left him that night as soon as he explained himself." Katherine said standing and walked over to the window peering out to brightly lit city in the dark night. Beth followed and stood beside her after a few moments.

"But you said you turned him." Katherine looked over to Beth.

"I did. I just needed a good reason to." Katherine replied without being forthcoming. She was beginning to aggravate Beth, but she feared being aggressive with this interview.

"Okay, so what was the reason?" Beth asked with as much patience as she could muster.

"One of Louis servants, George, came to me one night very late a few weeks later and begged me to come see his master. Apparently, Louis made some friends with other vampires and tried to get a message to me. When they found what he wanted they tried to kill him, but he had somehow escaped by the cleverness and loyalty of his servant. I went to see him and saw that he was close to death. The vampires had nearly drained him and he looked as if they had worked him over as well." Katherine swallowed hard reliving the memory. She pressed her lips together and tried to calm herself. "I don't know why I am telling you this." Katherine rebelled against her own openness and turned to the door.

"Why did you go to him, Katherine?" Beth asked. Katherine looked to her in the threshold and felt as if the world had changed. She could not understand why she had been so open to her, and then she realized that she had been subconsciously reading Beth. She was willing to listen and Katherine therefore felt comfortable telling her things long forgotten. She needed to tell just as much as Beth wanted to listen. Beth asked again.

"I... I saw him there, and he looked so...weak. I wanted him to get up and joke with me, insult me, anything, and...he just laid there. I knew right then I was in love with him." Katherine said with sadness. "I went to the bed and I told him I was going to turn him, but not for him or even for me." Beth could see tears in Katherine's eyes and a thought came to her from seemingly nowhere.

"You were pregnant." Beth said. Katherine said nothing, but she did not deny it either. "How? I mean, you could?" Katherine nodded. "What happened then? Where is your child?"

"She died...an hour after I gave birth." Katherine said. Beth remembered what Katherine had said about vampires and humans having children, some lived and some died. Beth watch as one tear spilled over. Katherine quickly wiped it away and then walked through the hallway and into the elevator. Beth was in the elevator moments later and found herself respectfully speechless for long while. When the door opened delivering them back the Katherine's office, she asked one final question.

"What was her name?" Katherine turned around.

"What?"

"Her name?" Beth asked again.

"Kaitlin Rose. I was going to call her Katie." Katherine replied after a long pause. Before they stepped into the office once more Katherine turned to Beth. "I don't want to talk about this again. Do you understand?" Beth could feel her glare burn into her with so much intensity that she was sure she would go up in flames. Beth nodded in agreement and Katherine turned and briskly walked to her desk where she was met with one of her staff.

Beth wandered out of the elevator slowly. She felt dazed by the conversation she had had with Katherine. The revelations that she was told were unbelievable and heart breaking. Beth found herself exiting from Katherine's office looking for Mick. She felt uncomfortable in the room with Katherine and the vampire she was currently talking business with. She did not wish to intrude but mostly she was so shaken up by the experience of interviewing Katherine. Her feelings were going beyond intimidated to full unwelcome and fearful submission to a more powerful individual.

Beth felt the world turning again, but it was not the claustrophobia. She looked at all the people going back and forth in hallways and main rooms, and knew the frightening truth that they were all vampires. She was human. She was below them in the food chain. That idea would unnerve anyone, but facing it so closely and in the magnitude she was...it was terrifying.

"Hey." She jumped at Mick's voice in front of her. She had been so preoccupied in her thoughts she had not seen them coming down the hall. Josef was still holding a cup of blood in his hand. Beth could see the blood in the corner of his lips and she thought she would lose it then. He just smiled and held the very life force that kept her alive. She could easily imagine herself being devoured by him, which was not only disturbing but exceedingly creepy. Her face quickly showed acute nauseous. Mick went to her side.

"You okay?" He asked. Beth nodded and swiftly saved herself from loss of balance by sitting on a nearby couch. Mick sat next to her and placed his hand on her back. She felt a little better with Mick there, but Josef enjoying his snack was still bothering her. He smiled, almost as if he understood her discomfort.

"Well, while you are making nice with your girl, I think I shall try with mine. The only problem is mine has fangs, so she can bite back." He took a long drag on the blood and then proceeded down the hallway to Katherine.

"Is he always like that?" Beth asked as her eyes followed Josef's merry steps. Mick glanced to his friend and then back to her.

"Like what?" He asked.

"I don't know...creepy." Beth sat back and took a deep breath. Mick leaned back with her and folded his hands in his lap.

"Well, you know Josef. He does anything for reaction. He probably is just feeding off your unease." Beth looked at him when he mentioned what she was surely feeling.

"Is it that obvious?" She lamented. He squeezed his index finger and thumb together.

"Just a little bit." Mick gave her a quick smile that made her feel better. Beth put her head in her hands and then pulled her back away from her face.

"I'm sorry, but all the stuff that Katherine just told me...well it takes a while to have it all sink in." She sighed deeply and looked down the hall to Katherine's office. She was there talking to Josef. Well it looked more like arguing but Beth could not tell.

"Yeah a vampire that old...I am sure she has plenty of horror stories." Mick said folding one leg over the other and crossing his arms. "What did she tell you?" Beth related the entire tragic story of Katherine and her one and only siring. She watched as she told the story how Mick slowing unfolded his legs and arms and looked almost physically shocked and defeated. It was not only an emotional story to hear but also to tell Beth soon realized. Mick sat in silence for long while after she finished.

"I can't believe it. That is so incredibly sad, and I mean I know sad." Mick said quietly. They both looked down the hall to see Katherine sitting at her desk. She looked up a moment and they both snapped back as if they had been whipped.

"She doesn't want to talk about it again either." Beth whispered.

"Well, yeah I see why." Mick responded. They both sneaked another look to see Katherine reading.

"I just have no idea how I am going to act around her now. I know I am like an infant compared to her but I feel like giving her hug or something." Beth admitted sorrowfully. Mick nodded his head from side to side.

"I wouldn't. She might think of it is a come on or something." He said. Beth looked at him bemused.

"You think she's gay?" She asked. Mick scoffed and smiled.

"No, like offering yourself." He said.

"Oh." Beth said shifting herself. "Do you mean like to eat? Like I did for you?" Just the memory of the incident in the desert sent a new energy between them. Mick suddenly looked uncomfortable being so close to Beth. He nodded.

"Yeah like that." He said quickly.

"Oh, okay." Beth bit her lip.

"She does not look like the hugging type anyway." Mick said as he stole another glance towards Katherine.

"So do you do that with other people?" Beth asked referring to the taste testing she had given in the desert.

"What do you mean hugging other people?" He said turning to her.

"No. I mean..." Beth said moving her eyes around. It took Mick a few moments to catch her drift.

"Oh." He said feeling uncomfortable in a more intense way. "Feeding you mean?" Beth nodded up and down. Mick swallowed and tried to find some way to word his explanation to Beth, somehow feeling the need to censor events of the past.

"Well, yeah...I mean at one point in my life...I indulged per say...in uh...the uh...qualities of uh..." Mick stumbled pathetically.

"In live feeding." Beth finished his thought. She seemed to be able to word it more clearly and confidently than he could.

"Yeah, that." Mick said sitting up and looking very tense. Beth observed the sudden change in him and concealed a smile.

"So what was it like?" She asked. Mick looked over to her quickly and then he diverted to the floor.

"What?" He asked hoping she was changing the subject in mercy.

"Feeding on a live person you weren't going to kill?" She asked with the precision of a journalist. Mick glared at the next Barbara Walters in training.

"No." He said simply.

"No, what?" She asked frustrated.

"No, I am not going to get into this with you." He said standing and walked towards Katherine's office.

"Why not?" Beth asked following him.

"Because it's not polite conversation." He said as Beth scoffed at his words.

"What are you my grandfather?" Beth slipped realizing once more he could be. "Never mind we're not going to entertain that thought." Mick laughed at her. "Seriously, Katherine told me all that stuff and she doesn't even know me. You on the other hand being my friend..."Mick looked at her brightly, but Beth seemed to want to use another term for him. This pleased him and made him more than curious as to what else he could be referred to."And the person who has saved me more than any other, and who just happens to be the only vampire I am close to." She whispered the last part in habit.

"You don't have to whisper here. They're all vampires." Mick whispered back smiling.

"Yeah well, anyway. She told me all those things, what stops you?" Beth said stopping Mick before they were ten feet in front of the office.

"I don't know Beth. Maybe I think just think are too young to hear it just yet, but I tell you what; you do your chores and eat your vegetables and we can talk about it." He said proceeding down the hall.

"Mick, what did I tell you about the grandfather crap?!" Beth said through her teeth. Mick turned around as he walked.

"Hey you're the one that keeps referring me to it." He said smiling.


	11. Profiles

Sorry for the short chapter but it is quicker than most, plus you will see it kinda builds tension in your mind. HeeHee. Anyway, thanks so much for your support and reviews. They are always nice to hear, although I do not demand them as I used to. I now can see that this story has gotten over 4,200 hits, so I know that someone is reading. Thanks a lot again.

P.S. Love ya Mommy. Thanks for your support.

"You would do that, Josef." Beth could hear Katherine's voice before she was close to the door. "Badly." Katherine said under her breath.

"What? I am just saying we get into their database and wipe them out. You can never have enough money, Katherine." She could hear Josef answering back.

"Oh yes you can. You are a prime example of that." Beth and Mick entered into the office and Katherine briefly held a look with Beth. She felt it was another warning not to talk to her about the interview or the information that was revealed there.

"Let's ask Mick and Beth. What would you rather do? Conduct probably hopeless guerrilla warfare with these guys?" Josef asked.

"Oh Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence." Katherine interrupted.

"I'm there for ya babe." He answered back. "Or hack into their database and wipe their funds out?" Mick and Beth looked at each other and felt as if they had once more joined the circus that was Josef and Katherine.

"How are we going to be able to do that?" Mick asked with skepticism.

"What do you mean how?" Josef feigned offense. "I got people. They could get it done in less than twenty four hours." He took a deep drag of his blood and looked at Beth. She rolled her eyes which amused him to no end. Katherine rose from her desk.

"Well, as much as it would truly please me to reveal how inept your people most likely are, I think I am going to have to turn down your offer, Sparky." Katherine walked to the group. Mick smiled at Josef.

"Sparky? Got a pet name there, Josef?" Mick joked. Josef glared at his best friend.

"I have been on the run for over two hundred years. I have been waiting for this all of my life. Josef, I know you are so eager to step in and be the maestro of this composition, but I have had plans for some time now." Katherine patted Josef on his shoulder. He looked downcast.

"But you said I could have some fun." He said in a low tone to Katherine.



"You will, Sparky. No worries." She said settling her hand on his shoulder. Mick and Beth were a little disturbed by this strange couple, but they could not help searing every image in their minds for the use of blackmail against Josef one day.

"What did I tell you about the Sparky stuff, Katherine?" He gritted his teeth. Katherine chuckled.

"Okay…Sparky." She laughed. They then turned to see a vampire standing in the threshold with what looked like a file. "Ah, just what I needed." She grabbed the file from the vampire and nodded for him to leave. Beth looked at Mick and they both possessed the same thought. They could not imagine having the power that both Katherine and Josef enjoyed. They could not fathom just nodding to someone ordering them to leave.

"What's that?" Mick asked coming beside Katherine as she opened the file and spread the papers on her desk.

"This is all the current members of the Bloodline. This file contains all of their names and aliases as well as their locations and personal information. " Katherine fingered through the file pulling out different profiles.

"Impressive." Beth commented when she picked up one profile and saw that it was not only extensive but carefully organized.

"Yeah, you learn to file correctly as a vampire."Josef joked over Katherine's shoulder. "You have a lot of time to organize the information about those you want to kill." He smiled over to Beth.

"Josef! Stop freaking her out, man." Mick warned Josef without looked up from the profiles. Beth smiled back smartly with a shrug. Josef chuckled. She was impressed with her protector.

"Humans." He responded.

"Damian Clouse." Mick said as he lifted one of the profiles and read further. "Kind of an obvious name for a vicious vampire, don't ya think?" Josef laughed.

"Yeah, well the meanest vampire I have met was named Reginald. Sounds like a nerd, but he was a mother. But then again I was young so I probably can kick his ass now. "Everyone looked at Josef with doubt about his last statement.

"What?" He responded and they continued sifting through. Beth picked up one of the profiles.

"Reginald…" She mused and looked up at Josef. She could see Josef react. His eyes were huge and if he could get any paler he was doing so that moment.

"Really?" Josef asked nervously. Beth smiled and nodded her head side to side.

"No." She said sheepishly. Josef looked at her annoyed.



"I can't say anything is you antagonize him, Beth." Mick said. Josef now was the one smiling and shrugging back. "So Damian is the leader I guess." He looked at Katherine and nodded.

"Yeah, that's the CEO." She joked. "He was the one that decided that humans should be brought as new recruits instead of just meals. No offense, Beth."

"None taken." Beth answered back. She was getting used to being the "human" in the group more than she liked.

Mick looked at the picture attached to the profile of Damian. It was a black and white picture of a tall, black haired man, or as he knew a vampire, wearing a dark suit and thick sunglasses. His hand was covering the filtered sun light that hit his menacing face.

"He is four hundred and fifty years old?" Beth asked as she looked over Mick's shoulder to the profile.

"Yeah, he's an old bastard."Katherine said looking through the other profiles. She was making piles on the desk that Beth did not understand, and soon stopped trying.

"Alright." Katherine said finally after finishing organizing the profiles. She pointed to one of the piles.

"These are all the Bloodline members who are currently in public view. "Beth looked through the stack and saw that they were ambassadors, senators, judges, and other government officials from around the world. Katherine continued.

"Their goal is to work to get information and laws, favors, and opinions passed in the favor of the Bloodline, only they do it in such a way that it does not reveal the society itself. We call these members Sleepers. "She then went to the next pile of profiles. "This pile is all the members who were in the public eye in the past, but due to vampires living forever and never aging and all, they had to recycle to the background. They will stay there a few decades and then resurface. Currently they work on a counsel working with the ones that are in public and putting into motion the plans set forth by Damian and his advisors. We call these guys the Counselors. "Josef laughed. Katherine looked up at him.

"What, Josef?" She asked irritated.

"Well, I would just think with two hundred years of planning you might have picked better names for these guys." Josef said smiling. No one jumped on board with his insult of course, so he folded his arms once more and pretended to be deeply interested.

"Finally, Damian and his advisors. This is Chloe. "She showed the profile Mick and Beth.

"Wow, three hundred years old and still kicking in stilettos. " Beth commented on the picture of one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. It was another black and white photo. The woman was in a black dress that cut in the middle of thigh and wearing the highest stilettos Beth had ever seen. Chloe had dark hair long down her back and her lips looked like they had run away from Angelina Jolie. She looked gorgeous and Beth felt the sting very acutely.



"Ooo, I remember Chloe. " Josef said taking the profile away from Beth.

"Of course you do, Josef. You slept with her and then she kicked you out." Katherine looked at the picture again. "I think with those stilettos too." She smiled at Josef. "Gotta love Bruno Magli." Josef then handed the profile back to Beth and she continued to study it.

"It says here that she is Damian's second in command." Beth said.

"Yeah, but she does have aspirations. Girl's gotta have aspirations."Josef said almost as if he was talking to himself.

"Aspirations?" Mick asked Katherine.

"Let's just say she one of those ladies who likes to be "Top Bitch" and Damian has allowed her to get as close as possible to that…aspiration." Katherine explained. She picked up the other profile in the pile.

"This is Daniel, his other advisor and third in command. He does a lot of the logistical and technical duties in the Bloodline. He keeps the machine well oiled and maintained. Without him, I am pretty sure the whole thing might fall apart." She said dropping the profile on the table. Beth quickly scooped it up and Mick was over her shoulder reading. They scanned the picture that was attached to the profile. Although vampires were supposed to look young, this Daniel looked like he could be Sean Connery's middle aged evil twin brother.

"Holy crap…its James Bond!" Mick said realizing the likeness.

"So we're going after him then?" Beth asked.

"No. Unfortunately, he is the smartest vampire I know. Mostly because he is the oldest vampire I know." Katherine said as she rounded her desk and sat down.

"Holy Cow!! He's five hundred years old." Beth exclaimed.

"Yep, and smells every bit like it." Josef said as he sat on Katherine's desk. She gave him a dirty look.

"You know the work crew is going to have a big issue when they have to scrub your ass print from my desk." Katherine glared at Josef with the fire Beth had seen in the elevator.

"Well, if you paid your people better they would not care what ass print they had to scrub off your desk."Josef commented back smugly. Katherine kicked him off the desk and he hissed at her.

"Touchy!" He said retreating.

"No, we need a way into the Bloodline with someone they don't know yet. We need to build trust. We need…Beth." Katherine said looking to her.


	12. Bleeding

"Excuse me?" Mick said as Beth held a blank face. She was going over what she had just heard Katherine say.

"_No, we need a way into the Bloodline with someone they don't know yet. We need to build trust. We need…Beth."_

She felt her heartbeat slow to almost a stop. She was waiting for Katherine to correct herself and use another name in the sentence she just said. She waited and listened, but Katherine just looked at her. What could she do that Katherine would want to use her for? She must have known how upset Mick would be with the prospect of Beth anywhere near danger. Beth was the one to fully understand what he was like when she decided to put herself in danger's way. She had already suffered innumerable lectures and wrath filled conversations with him about how reckless or naïve she was about the situations she seemed to easily place herself in. Mick became visibly frustrated.

"I'm sorry, but did I just hear you say we need Beth?" Mick asked with more force. Katherine finally broke her stare down with Beth.

Katherine looked so dangerous to Beth right now. It was not the Katherine she had encountered what she was casually interviewing her about her past. She still could not get past how she was able to get that information out of her, and the exact reason why it even happened. Even though she feared Katherine for many reasons she felt drawn to her. She had the distinct impression that perhaps she was one of the loneliest souls she had ever met. She reminded her of Mick a little bit. She did not want the life that was forced on her either. Now if only they could find out that they had that in common. Beth looked over at how Mick was glaring at Katherine.

_Okay, probably not happening anytime soon, she thought. _

"You would be correct." She responded calmly as if she had scheduled Beth for a massage or something trivial. Beth was finding herself becoming more and more uneasy about this conversation. Mick rubbed his forehead furiously. He stopped and placed his hands on the desk.

"That's not going to happen. Pick someone else." Mick said trying to hide his angry by continuing to look at the profiles.

"I need someone I can trust who can get the results and in the ways that I need them. They have been tracking all of my people these past months, I don't have another choice. If I had time I would find someone else, but I don't have that luxury anymore." Katherine said. Beth could hear the desperation on her voice. Josef nodded.

"You know, it might not be a bad idea. Beth knows how to work someone." Josef tried to help. He smiled to Mick hoping that he could maybe pass the casualness around, even though they were planning to put the only human in their company in immeasurable danger.

"Pick someone else!!" Mick said loudly. Beth looked at Mick and could almost see steam coming out of his ears. He was on an offense, and Beth recognized whenever he was on one because he tended to bare his teeth. She could only assume it was a vampire thing. She took a deep breath and began to think about what Katherine was asking.

"What would I have to do?" Beth looked to Katherine. Mick turned to her astounded and angry.

"What? No! No, Beth absolutely not." Mick said grabbing Beth by her arm. Beth quickly disengaged his arm from her. She might be a human and hell, okay a woman, but no one man-handled Beth Turner. Absolutely not! Not even Mick St. John.



"I want to know, Mick." Beth said and turned to Katherine. "What would I have to do?" She asked slowly. Katherine gave a faint smile. There was something almost commendable about this human.

"I know you are a journalist." Katherine began. "But then they are probably going to know that too. They are going to want to avoid you at all cost." She mused as if she was talking to herself.

"So I would be a distraction?" Beth asked. Josef smiled at her mischievously.

"Probably more like bait." He laughed, but then he turned to Mick. He could not ignore the glower expression his friend now held and stopped to only smile at himself.

"Yes, you would be a distraction, but more than that. I need to you to get close to Damian." Katherine said handing the profile to Beth. She looked it over once more and her brow creased.

"Why him? Wouldn't he be the most obvious?" Beth questioned.

"Look at character item twenty-seven on page fourteen. "Katherine instructed. Beth did as she asked and slowly read out.

"A demanding preference for blondes." Her mouth fell open. "Sure, always the blondes. Seriously, is this what we are basing this off of?" Beth said throwing the profile back the Katherine's direction.

"Well Beth what other qualities do you really have?" Josef joked.

"Boy, you are really stepping in the mine field today. I think I would start watching where you walk, Josef." Mick said quietly irritated. Josef looked goofy as he relished in annoying his friend…again. He sobered up though after a few moments.

"Look you know me. I always use humor and insults to diffuse a situation." He said holding his hands up. "Okay, Beth what I meant to say is that men are very visual creatures, but vampires are ten times that. They have the predator instinct so intense that whatever looks better out of the herd is going to catch his attention quickest and claims more focus over the long run, well really depending on how fast you can run…" He laughed at his own joke. Mick walked away rubbing his head in frustration.

"Oh, this was such a big mistake. " He muttered.

"Okay, so what am I supposed to do? Walk around flipping my blonde hair around until he notices me asking questions in between?" Beth asked more than skeptical about the idea.

"Wow, you catch on quick for a human Beth." Josef mumbled as he put his hands in his pockets and walked away. He was growing bored of planning already.

"Look, all I am going to ask you to do is to go with Josef." Katherine began before she was interrupted by Josef.

"Excuse me? Uh, I don't think so." He pulled his hand out of his pocket and held it up as if trying to stop the thought Katherine was forming.

"Shut up, Josef." She growled at him before turning back to Beth with a softer expression. Beth wished she could dispense with men or really anyone like that. "You are going to go with Josef and pretend to be interested in becoming a vampire, but you would like to know more about the process. You'll stall him" Mick rushed towards Katherine.

"No!" He snarled. He looked at Beth and calmed himself."You said so yourself…he will consider her prey. What would stop him from killing her the moment she says she wants to be a vampire?" Mick 

could not believe that he had literally stepped inside of his worst nightmare. This was exactly what he was trying to protect Beth from. Beth looked at Katherine expecting to find some kind of fury that would insight a fight but found her eerily calm. In fact she felt calm as well, and when she looked around the room…they were all were calm. Was Katherine projecting again?

"He won't take her right away. He is looking for a mate right now and he will want to get to know her and give her whatever she wants." Katherine responded firmly.

"Yeah, cause that is even better!" Mick said unable to be taken by the calm mood Katherine was trying to spread. He walked away and paced from wall to wall. Beth looked to him worried but she felt like she must help. She could not deny that she was interested in the prospect of learning how to become a vampire and really all she could learn about the Bloodline, but was this worth her risking her life? It was like Mick had said, they weren't just people who did not want to be exposed or interviewed. This society was the nightmare she had had since she was a little girl of things that go bump in the night. It was not until recently did she learn what was really bumping in the night, and how her fear was not only well founded but maybe even less than what it should be.

"Josef…" She began rolling her eyes. "Would be there to protect me while I was with Damian?" Beth watched as Mick stopped pacing and stopped at the wall before him.

"Yes." Katherine answered as she saw Josef threw up his hands in annoyed surrender. "As well as some undercover vampires." Mick stalked towards Katherine.

"You knew what was going to happen didn't you? You knew that I would not want to leave her and that you could convince me that I could protect her." He came close to her face. "You have been planning this all along. You knew exactly what was going to happen and manipulated us to get your way." Mick felt like spitting in her face, or maybe fanging out ripping her face off.

"Yeah, of course I knew dumbass. I am psychic. Look, this is not all about me." Katherine moved forward closer to his face in challenge. "She's not as weak as you place her. I know what I am doing, you are right about that, but she'll know too and she can do this." Beth was unsure how to feel about two vampires talking about her strengths and weaknesses as well as her future. She could only suppose that she was going to have to get used to it.

"Are you trying to get her killed or turned? Is that really what you want? I swear to God I'll snap your neck." He threatened. Beth could see Katherine get angry and soon she felt it as well. Beth suspected that Katherine did not appreciate being man-handled either. Suddenly she could see this going the wrong way like it had at Josef's. But she could not move to stop this confrontation.

She was too frozen by all the information and all the fear that seeped into her veins and traveled to her mind. Were they really talking about this? Was she really going to put herself in so much danger once more? Was there really such a thing as a vampire? Was she really surrounded by them at all sides at this very moment? Had she met Mick? Had she offered herself to him? Had he fed off her? Her heart beat quickly as every revelation and realization invaded her system. Beth had to breath deep to calm her thoughts. She instantly missed the projecting of Katherine's emotions earlier. She looked over to Josef and he seemed hesitant as well. Perhaps he was hoping that would just work it out. Or maybe he was just as afraid of the two of them as she was.

"I would take your hand off before it ever reached my neck." She smiled sadistically. "Yeah and those don't grow back." Before Beth knew it Mick had transformed into the vampire face she rarely saw. It was the face he saved for the creatures he was fighting, and he was going to fight Katherine now…again. Katherine reacted immediately with what Beth almost thought was fear. Katherine punched Mick square in the face sending him back reeling a few feet, but what happened next 

surprised Beth. Katherine looked up to her bloodied, mangled hand and Beth now truly saw the fear. She was bleeding profusely as if she had hit an artery or something and her hand looked badly broken. Katherine tried to take a step forward in her shock and then fell to the floor passing out before Josef caught her.

"Damn it!!" He shouted as the room was suddenly filled with a multitude of Katherine's vampires sensing the trouble.

"What!? What happened?" Mick asked as he transformed back to his human form.

"She must have hit a fang."He mumbled to himself trying his best to stop the bleeding. "You can't make her bleed Mick!!"Josef yelled. Beth was amazed to see actual emotion from him other than the sarcastic soaked ones he usually paraded. "You are the only one who can kill her!"


	13. Blood & Scars

_**Hello everyone!! Thanks so much for the continued support. I am sorry I have not updated, but I have been obsessed with my Twilight story. Not only am in love with that series, but I am experimenting with a new writing style. I have been really productive with that story producing 4 chapters in 24 hours. Please check it out if you are fan.**_

_**Anyway, I was sad to hear the CBS has canceled Moonlight from their schedule. How can I comment on such stupidity? Oh well. I truly doubt that they will be picked up by another network since they have had so much trouble in the background. Nonetheless, I will continue writing since it still is really fun to, and hey that is what really matters.**_

_**I want to thank the fans of this story, and the reviewers. I want to thank my Mom and my husband Robert for their support. All of you are really awesome. Thanks again!! **_

The blood soaked quickly into the beige carpet under Katherine. Beth could not stop staring at Katherine who was unconscious and bleeding as if someone had brutally slaughtered her.

"Give me blood! Give me blood!! She needs to feed!" Josef shouted to the vampires entering the room. They had heard the commotion and came to defend their leader. Mick was on his knees with Josef trying to help put pressure on the wound.

"I think you have done enough here friend." Josef said lowly to his friend. Beth stood over the scene and watched as Mick quickly lifted himself and left the room. When the other vampires saw that he was leaving Josef looked to them as if he could read their minds. "Let him go. It was an accident." The vampires looked at Mick and then back to Josef deciding to follow his order. Beth would have followed Mick, but she couldn't. She was transfixed by Katherine's current state. It was as if she was being pinned down by some invisible force. She had only known this woman for a matter of hours and yet…there was something very strong that drew Beth to her. Katherine looked so weak and tiny lying on the floor, her blood pooling around her.

"Why is it so bad?" Beth asked kneeling in Mick's place. She had been afraid at one point about what this vampire on the floor would have done to her, and now she feared for the vampire's life.

"Mick's the Protector, the only one that can bring her any real harm. When she punched him she must have nicked one of his fangs." Josef said quickly to Beth."It doesn't have to be anything fatal or even intentional apparently." The other vampires finally brought a box filled with bags of blood. Beth could see the words "O Positive" displayed on it. They gave Josef a syringe with a giant needle filled with blood already. She watched as he injected her again and again with blood.

"Why so much?" Beth asked as she watched the twentieth bag being emptied. Josef looked up to her as if he had forgotten her there.

"She only feeds two or three times a year, but if she gets injured like this…well she has to feed until she regains strength. " Josef said with an effort to calm himself.

"But if Mick is the Protector, how would you know when she was injured to do this?" Beth asked allowing the journalist in her free reign. She regretted the last question almost the moment it left her lips. Josef stiffened and became agitated.

"Beth, I really don't have time to play twenty questions with your right now!" He exclaimed exasperated by the situation. He then looked down to Katherine's closed eyes again. Beth bit her lip and wished that she knew all these questions that seemed to constantly fill her head whenever she was around Mick and his friends. She hated not understanding this world. She hated wanting to be a part of this world because of her own obvious and overwhelming weakness. She looked down at her and realized that Katherine had thought of her as strong. But was she saying that to get her to do something or was it legitimate? Was Beth as strong as Katherine was touting her to be?

"I'm sorry." Josef whispered interrupting her thoughts. She wondered suddenly how many times he had said that as sincerely as he just did. "When they got her last time…they threatened to cut her head from her body which is the only way they can kill her. That is what the scar is on her neck. She can heal, but the scars never go away." Beth looked to the grisly disfigurement of skin across her neck. She remembered what Katherine had said about it Josef's in living room:

_She traced the scar on the left side of her neck with her finger. "They didn't want to kill me, but they kept this wound open for one week." _

She could only imagine the emotional and mental scars that Katherine carried with her physical ones.

"They would cut her and let her bleed, and then they would make her feed. It went on like that for weeks. This all that I know what to do, and I really don't even know if it will work for her right now." Josef finished. She could sense the worry in his voice and felt sorry for him. She could tell that he felt very strongly for Katherine although she was not willing to admit anything like love, at least not with Josef…not yet.

Meanwhile, Mick was left to simmer on the couch in the hallway. He felt the eyes of every vampire in the office staring at him in mute hatred. He felt sorry that Katherine was hurt although he could not completely understand why. This whole Protector thing was getting more complicated by the minute, and he thought his life was already complicated as it was. He dug his heels into the ground and wished that he had not gotten so upset. He only wanted to protect the ones important around him and this woman, this vampire was making it impossible. He knew Beth had strength, but surely not for this world. Not this strange dark world that he unwillingly drifted in.

He began to idly wonder what his life would be if he had not become a vampire. What would it have been like if he had not met Coraline at all? He probably would have married some nice and pretty girl and had a couple kids. He would have watched them grow and worry about money and keeping his marriage together, a normal life. But then what did he really remember of that anyway? He really had no idea what his life would have been, but at the moment he might have picked the mysterious other choice than the life he was enduring now.

"But then you would have never met her?" A voice stopped his inner struggle and he looked up. An older woman stood there who looked to be in her late fifties. She smelled like a vampire, but looked like a grandmother.

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked cautiously. She smiled and sat next to him.

"You must be the Protector then." She smiled as if she had told him she had baked some cookies. He felt very odd with this vampire. She looked like she was the sweetest thing he had ever seen, but then again she was a vampire. Sweetness can only be in limited supply by a creature that has fangs.

"Uh…Yeah, I guess." He finally said looking away from her. Perhaps if he remained aloof she would leave him alone.

"Fat chance of that." She suddenly said answering him as she joined him on the sofa. Mick looked to her in shock.

"Oh. Mind reader, dear." She replied simply and patted his arm. "Yes, not much hidden between us now." Mick now fully understood the creep factor he had felt when she first sat down.

"Okay." He said more uneasy about the situation he was in now than the one in the office at the moment.

"Katherine is quite the complicated one. I mean really her whole story, her prophecy, really her whole life. Truly that cliché a mystery wrapped in enigma." Mick looked over to the woman smiling at him. She patted his arm again as if comforting him. "You could not have known you could inflict such harm on her." Mick furrowed in brow in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He said.

"You can't shed blood between each other. Well, dear, you could kill her." She said crossing her arms. "But then again this is really her fault. Three centuries of life and she still cannot contain her temper. Well then…she really has a reason more than the rest of us to hold on to anger and resentment."

"Yeah, I know." Mick said quietly thinking about the information Beth had passed to him about Katherine's past. Not only had she had to deal with her guilt over having to drink the blood of human being half of one, but somehow managed to carry a child full term only to lose her in a few hours. How many injustices did this woman face every day? How many in her past? And how many in her future? He did feel incredible sympathy towards her, but then she irritated the holy crap out of him.

"Yes, she has had many misfortunes, and had made many mistakes. And she even annoys me from time to time." The older vampire shook her head in as if looking over every memory she had of Katherine.

"How long have you known her?" Mick asked.

"Oh, goodness! I was the one that delivered her." She gave a soft chuckle. "The most beautiful baby I have ever seen and I have seen a lot. You see before, when I was human, I was a midwife. I was newly turned when she was born, but I was already an old woman." She said holding her wrinkled hands up. She would forever be the age she was turned, just as Mick would forever be thirty years old. He was forever stuck in middle age and she forever in old age. "Despite it all, she has always been my favorite."

"Is she going to be okay?" Mick asked as he watched another box of blood go in to the office. The lady smiled up at him.

"Oh yes. She will be fine. Just a bit of a scare, and she will be as right as rain." Mick tried to feel the comfort this woman so badly wanted to give, but he could not find himself able to calm down enough to. "Yeah, you are very tense, son." She said, reading his thoughts once more. He was growing very impatient and annoyed with the constant intrusion.

"Well, it is not very pleasant for me either. It is not like I can help it. Haven't since I was a little girl. Oh by the way my name is Myrtle. "She held her hand to shake.

"Hello Myrtle." He said slowly shaking her hand. "Look Myrtle, is there any way you can maybe like stop listening to my thoughts for a little bit. Kind of…um…" He stumbled to find a polite way to deflect her invasion.

"Kind of freaking you out, Mick?" She said amused. "Oh I understand. I get that a lot." She motioned him to come closer. "To be real honest with you, Mickey…I can call you Mickey right?" She looked at him for a moment and took his shock of their encounter as permission. "Well Mickey, it freaks me out too. It is not like I enjoy going over every sexual experience you have ever had by merely looking into your eyes, but that is really not something I can control. I have just learned to be real patient and understanding about the whole thing." She placed her hand once more on his forearm. Mick suddenly felt himself regain the memory of nauseous as a human just by her touch and recent confession of intimate knowledge.

"I'll tell you what, I will try to not remember every little detail about you, and you can try and pretend that I don't see all that stuff. With a little teamwork who knows what might happen." She lifted herself up from the bench. "Now you better go back in there because she going to want to apologize to you when she wakes up in a few minutes. Now remember Mickey, don't leave her alone too long with them. They will tear her up from the inside out. "Mick looked at her strangely and glanced towards the office. Did she mean every one that was with her now? He went to question her when she suddenly turned away.

"Nice talking to you, Mickey." She called over her shoulder and quickly moved to the other end of the corridor and out of site.


End file.
